Heavy snowstorm warning in northern Japan amid intense cold wave

A severe snowstorm warning has been issued for northern Japan, with heavy snowfall, strong winds, and rough seas forecast through at least December 19, 2023, leading to hazardous travel conditions.

After experiencing an unprecedentedly warm December day on Friday, December 15, western Japan saw a huge temperature drop of 15 -19 °C (27 – 34 °F) on Sunday, December 17, and the season’s first snow was reported even in low-lying areas.

“Heavy snow and shivering cold weather will be the main stories this week in Japan,” meteorologist Sayaka Mori said.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued a weather bulletin warning of strong winds, rough seas, and blowing snow across Hokkaido Prefecture and the Tohoku Region on Sunday. Winds in Hokkaido were forecast to reach up to 126 km/h (78 mph) and 108 km/h (67 mph) in Tohoku, with snowfall accumulations expected to reach up to 70 cm (28 inches) in Hokkaido and 50 cm (20 inches) in Tohoku.

The severe weather is expected to continue at least through December 19.

The combination of strong winds and snowfall could lead to blizzard conditions, significantly reducing visibility and creating hazardous travel conditions. Rail and bus services in Hokkaido have already been affected. Additionally, strong winds may result in property damage and power outages.

As of December 18, red heavy snow warnings are in effect for the Kamikawa region in Hokkaido; and Yellow heavy snow, snowstorm, avalanche, high wave, low-temperature, ice accretion, and snow accretion warnings are in effect for several regions in Hokkaido, and parts of Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, and Yamagata prefectures in Tohoku.

Strong wind gusts are expected to cause blowing and drifting snow, leading to sporadic power outages. Ground and air transport disruptions are anticipated, with potential delays and hazardous driving conditions on regional highways and secondary roads. High-profile vehicles may be at risk of toppling due to gusty winds.

In addition, flight delays and cancellations are likely due to deicing operations and ground stops at airports in the affected regions.

References:

¹ Japan: Adverse winter weather forecast across northern regions through at least Dec. 19 – Crisis 24 – December 18, 2023

² Whiteout conditions in Japan as warnings in place for snowstorm – The Independent – December 17, 2023

Featured image credit: JMA/Himawari-9, RAMMB/CIRA, The Watchers. Acquired at 03:50 UTC on December 18, 2023