Japan is bracing for a powerful winter pressure pattern this weekend as the coldest air mass of the season sweeps south, bringing heavy snowfall across large parts of the country and raising the risk of major transportation disruptions ahead of a nationwide election.
The system, which is moving toward the Sea of Okhotsk, is expected to strengthen from Friday afternoon, drawing in intense cold air and fueling widespread snowfall into Sunday in areas like Hokkaido and regions facing the Sea of Japan, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
The agency said the southern Kanto region, including Tokyo¡¯s 23 wards, could also see some snow accumulation over the weekend.
East Japan Railway announced Friday that due to potential snowfall, there¡¯s a possibility of significant delays in trains, destination changes and service suspensions in the Tokyo metropolitan area, and urged users to keep an eye on the weather.
Snowfall of up to 50 centimeters is forecast in parts of Hokkaido in the 24 hours up to Saturday morning. Another snowfall of up to 50 cm is forecast in parts of Hokkaido in the 24 hours up to Sunday morning, with similar accumulations also expected in the Tohoku region.
Some of the heaviest snowfall is forecast in the Hokuriku region, where up to 70 cm could fall in the 24 hours to Sunday morning and another 70 cm in the 24 hours to Monday morning, while the Chugoku region could see up to 70 cm of snow in the 24 hours to Monday morning.
The weather agency urged residents to remain alert for transportation disruptions caused by blizzards, heavy snow, strong winds and high waves, and warned of an increased avalanche risk in areas where snow levels are already well above average. The agency also cautioned about snow building up on power lines and in trees.
The severe conditions coincide with Sunday¡¯s nationwide Lower House election, prompting Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to hold a meeting of ministers Tuesday and warn election officials and voters to be on alert for the deteriorating weather over the weekend.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.