More snow falls across hard-hit areas of Japan
Areas of sea-effect snow showers returned to areas that have been hit hard by snowfall in recent weeks. While these snow showers many not bring the same magnitude of snowfall as late December or early January, a winter storm early this week can cause snow totals to rise rapidly.
A couple of storms brought milder conditions to central Japan last week as they swept across the region. With temperatures trending higher through the end of the week, most of the snow was limited to the higher elevations of Honshu.
Closer to sea level, rain along with more mild temperatures helped to melt some of the snow that had piled up along the coast of the Chubu region after rounds of sea-effect snow that has fallen in recent weeks.
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However, this milder air did not last long as the next surge of cold air followed quickly behind the storm. Along with this colder air, sea-effect snow showers returned to coastal areas.
In addition to periods of heavy snow showers near the coast, this return of colder air could cause any standing water or slushy snow to freeze and cause slippery conditions.
Snow showers are expected from Tohoku to western Kanto, with periods of heavier snow along the western coasts and in the higher elevations of Tohoku and Chubu as the storm taps into the available cold air.
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By Tuesday, the areas that receive the heaviest snowfall could record another 25-38 cm (10-15 inches) of snowfall with an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 50 cm (20 inches) possible.
Snowfall totals of 8-15 cm (3-6 inches) will be common across much of central and northern Honshu.
The colder air will once again allow snow to fall down to sea level along Honshu's western coast.
Heavy snow can cause roads to become impassable as snowfall accumulates just a week after sea-effect snow shut down areas along the coast of the Sea of Japan.
On Tuesday, snow showers stretched across Honshu and caused traffic difficulties near Sendai. Local media reports accidents involving more than 134 cars and 200 people on the Tohoku Expressway in Osaki City. At the time of the accident, snow was in the area and could have been a factor.
Last weekend, the snow depth in the city of Toyama surpassed about 1 meter (3.3 feet) for the first time in 35 years, according to NHK, the Japanese Broadcasting Corporation. As of Monday evening, the snow depth sits at 53 cm (21 inches), according to the Japanese Meteorological Agency, after the recent warmer weather caused melting.
The snow depth is a measurement of the snow on the ground through the winter season so far and is not a direct result of this storm system.
Even heavier snow fell farther to the north in Takada where an astounding snow depth of 249 cm (8.2 feet) was reported, according to the Japanese Meteorological Agency. The measurement was taken near sea level, which makes the observation rather unusual. Typically, snow that deep is reserved for the nearby mountainous areas.
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Fukui City is hit by heavy snow in Fukui Prefecture, a district along the Sea of Japan, on Jan. 11, 2021. Lots of vehicles have been stuck in snow, and Japan Self Defense Force officials remove the snow from the street. (The Yomiuri Shimbun ) |
Snow depths in excess of about 3 meters (10 feet) are typically reported across some of the mountainous terrain of western Japan and have led to great ski conditions.
This unusual amount of snow in a short period of time left about 1,500 vehicles stranded on the Hokuriku Expressway in Fukui Prefecture and led to at least 10 fatalities.
Another round of sea-effect snow in December left another 1,000 vehicles stranded on a highway in Niigata.
"It is not terribly unusual to have sea-effect snow across those parts of Japan," AccuWeather Lead International Meteorologist Jason Nicholls stated.
He added that observations from December 2020 show that snowfall was above normal for the sea-effect areas in Japan.
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