Photo/Illutration Tourists marvel at the snowy landscape in Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, on Feb. 2. (Takahisa Shimizu)

As the strongest cold front of the winter moves into the skies over Japan, widespread heavy snowfall is predicted for regions along the Sea of Japan and in the mountains facing the Pacific Ocean from Feb. 4 onward.

The strong winter pressure pattern is forecast to continue for several days, and snow accumulation is likely to increase in many areas.

The Japan Meteorological Agency and the transport ministry held a joint news conference on Feb. 3 to make an emergency announcement regarding the heavy snowfall.

To prevent vehicles from being stranded on a large scale, officials urged people to refrain from going out unnecessarily and to consider changing their plans.

According to the JMA, "the strongest cold air front in several years" will move southward, peaking around Feb. 6.

The Japan Sea Polar Air Mass Convergence Zone (JPCZ), which has brought disaster-level heavy snowfall in the past, will develop over the Sea of Japan and may bring locally heavy snowfall from the Tohoku to Sanin regions.

Heavy snow will likely fall in the Tokai and southern Kyushu regions, as well as the Pacific side of Japan, where snowfall is normally rare. The effects will remain over a wide area until around Feb. 8, requiring caution against icy roads, heavy snow accumulating on power lines, storms and high waves.

The expected snowfall amount for the 24-hour period ending at 6 p.m. on Feb. 5 is 1 meter in the Tohoku and Hokuriku regions and 70 centimeters in the Tokai region. The predicted amount for the Hokkaido, Kinki and Chugoku regions is 50 cm during the same time frame.

Total snowfall over the 24-hour period capping at 6 p.m. on Feb. 6 is estimated to reach 1 meter in the Hokuriku region; 70 cm in the Tohoku and Tokai regions; and 50 cm in the Hokkaido, Kinki and Chugoku regions.

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