General News

Winter storm causes heavy snowfalls and record low temperatures this season

Courtesy of Shinji Kamoya
Kanazawa Castle Park is covered with snow on Monday morning in Kanazawa.

The Yomiuri Shimbun

12:35 JST, December 19, 2022

The Tohoku and Hokuriku regions were hit by heavy snowfall through Monday, due to a strong winter pressure pattern.

The Yomiuri Shimbun
People walk through wind and snow on Monday morning in Shibetsu, Hokkaido.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, 110 centimeters of snow fell in the 24 hours to Monday morning in Tadami, Fukushima Prefecture, while 101 centimeters fell in Okura, Yamagata Prefecture over the same period.

Hokuriku is expected to see 80 centimeters of accumulated snow by Tuesday morning, while Tohoku is expected to get 70 centimeters.

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Vehicles travel under poor visibility conditions on Monday morning in Shibetsu, Hokkaido.

Monday morning temperatures dropped to the lowest of the season in 464 monitoring locations around the nation, or more than half the total number. Sapporo saw the lowest temperature by 9:00 a.m. at minus 9.3 C, while the mercury dipped to minus 2 C in Nagoya and 0 C in central Tokyo.

At Koriyama Station in Fukushima Prefecture on the Tohoku Shinkansen Line, the Tsubasa 159 train from Tokyo to Yamagata went about 160 meters past its stop on Sunday night. A crew member said the train may have slipped on the snow, according to East Japan Railway Co.

The Yomiuri Shimbun
A road in Toyooka, Hyogo Prefecture is seen on Monday morning.

Five trains were suspended Sunday on the Yamagata Shinkansen line, due to fallen trees and pantograph problems. Disruption to the schedule continued through Monday morning as snow was cleared away.