Heavy snow continued to batter northern and western Japan on Saturday (31 January) leaving cities buried under record levels of snowfall and prompting warnings from authorities. Aomori city in northern Japan recorded 167 centimetres of snow by Friday - the highest January total since 1945.

The snowstorm has affected areas along the Sea of Japan coast, including Niigata Prefecture and western regions such as Kyoto.

Uonuma city in Niigata reported 273 centimetres of snow, with the Sumon district reaching 279 centimetres by 11 AM on Friday. Other cities affected include Joetsu (146 cm) in Niigata and Sapporo (82 cm) on Hokkaido.

Meteorologists attribute the extreme snowfall to a strong winter pressure pattern and a cold air mass sweeping across the region. Accumulations in some areas have exceeded double the average for this time of year.

While the pattern is expected to ease gradually from the west, officials warned that further heavy snow could hit Tohoku and Niigata Prefecture. Authorities warned of traffic disruptions, icy roads, avalanches, power outages caused by snow-laden trees and power lines, and falling snow from rooftops.

Multiple accidents were reported during snow removal.

Officials advised residents to take precautions, including using safety ropes, wearing helmets, performing warm-up exercises, and working in teams when clearing snow.

Japan’s meteorological authorities explained that the record snow is caused by moisture-laden air from the Sea of Japan interacting with the unusually strong winter pressure system, producing unprecedented accumulations in northern and western coastal regions.

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