Higher than normal levels of radiation have been discovered in products offarms which lie in the vicinity of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear powerplant. This comes as a change in the weather pattern is expected to spreadradiation throughout communities located inland from the power plant.Government officials from Japan have found high levels of radiation in spinachand milk produced by farms located close to the power plant. Furthercontamination of the food supply is possible over the coming week as the windsthat have been steering radiation from plant offshore will make a hazardousshift toward Tokyo and other communities in upcoming days.
Winds from the southwest to west in the vicinity of the power plant had beensending radiation offshore into the Pacific Ocean. These winds are expected toshift to a more east-southeasterly direction by Sunday morning, spreadingradiation into communities west and northwest of the power plant.
This change in the wind direction is due to a departing area of high pressureand an approaching low pressure system which will bring a bout of stormierweather to much of the country beginning on Sunday.
Winds will once again make a dangerous turn Monday, becoming northeasterly andputting any leaking radiation on a path toward Tokyo. Winds will likelycontinue to blow in that direction into Tuesday.
The Associated Press reports that low levels of radiation have already beendetected well beyond Tokyo, which lies 140 miles south of the power plant.
Evacuation orders in Japan remain in place within a 12-mile radius of the plantdue to the radiation threat. The evacuated zone recommended by the UnitedStates for its citizens stands at 50 miles.
Story by Kristina Pydynowski, AccuWeather.com Meteorologist
