Heavy Snowfall Continues Mainly on Sea of Japan Side; Cold Wave Expected to Continue through Sunday

Yomiuri Shimbun file photo
Meteorological Agency in Minato Ward, Tokyo

The heaviest snowfall of the season is continuing mainly on the Sea of Japan side Wednesday, due to the cold wave that has flowed into Japan. It is expected to continue through Sunday.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the amount of snowfall in the 24 hours up to 9:00 a.m. Wednesday was 77 centimeters in Shirakawa, Gifu Prefecture, 71 centimeters in Joetsu, Niigata Prefecture, and 67 centimeters in Toyama City. There is a possibility that the amount of snowfall will increase in a short period of time.

The 24-hour snowfall forecast through 6:00 a.m. Thursday is 100 centimeters in the Tohoku, Hokuriku and Niigata regions, 70 centimeters in the Tokai and Kinki regions, 50 centimeters in Hokkaido, Chugoku and northern Kyushu, 40 centimeters in Shikoku and 15 centimeters in southern Kyushu.