THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
December 23, 2022 at 19:09 JST
A bitterly cold air mass spreading to western Japan is bringing snow to regions that rarely experience much of the stuff, while areas along the coast of the Sea of Japan were forecast Dec. 23 to expect heavy snowfall for several more days.
In Kochi, rain turned to snow at daybreak on Dec. 23. A record 14 centimeters of snow had fallen as of 8 a.m., according to the Kochi local meteorological observatory.
It urged residents to refrain from making nonessential outings for the day.
Streetcar operations had to be suspended in some parts of the city.
Passers-by helped the rider of a bike that toppled due to the snow, while others helped push a car that could not get a grip on the slippery road.
The city was forecast to have more snow until the evening.
In Tokushima, in the neighboring prefecture of the same name, 24-hour snowfall reached 10 cm as of 10 a.m. on Dec. 23, the most since the Tokushima local meteorological observatory began collecting such data in 2013.
The Osaka local meteorological observatory recorded the season’s first snow in Osaka in the predawn hours of Dec. 23, nine days earlier than last winter.
Kobe and Nara cities also experienced their first snow of this season on the night of Dec. 22.
The Kanazawa local meteorological observatory in Ishikawa Prefecture issued a special alert for heavy snow at 8:16 a.m. on Dec. 23.
It urged residents to remain vigilant after the snowfall over six hours until 8 a.m. reached 20 cm. More snow is forecast in the city in the coming days.
Projections of 24-hour snowfall until 6 a.m. on Dec. 24 showed the Hokuriku region can expect 100 cm while the Tohoku, Tokai and Chugoku regions will likely face 70 cm.
Officials forecast 60 cm for Hokkaido and the Kinki region; 50 cm for the Shikoku region; 40 cm for the northern Kyushu region; 30 cm for the Kanto and Koshin regions; and 20 cm for the southern Kyushu region.
The Japan Meteorological Agency forecasts continued snow for many parts of Japan for Dec. 25.
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Workers shovel snow in central Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, on the morning of Dec. 23. (Shinkai Kawabe)
