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Heavy snowfall hit Japan's northernmost island of Hokkaido. In just 12 hours, a record amount of snow fell in the city of Obihiro. The snow level on the streets increased by 120 cm (48 inches). According to Japanese weather forecasting company Weathernews Inc., the last time this amount of snow was observed in one day was 1972, and never in half a day.
Due to the snowfall, authorities closed about 450 schools across the island. Local residents found themselves locked in their homes due to such a huge amount of snowfall. The Japan Meteorological Agency warned that two powerful low pressure zones were moving on either side of the archipelago, bringing cold air into the region.
The agency forecast another 100 cm (40 inches) of snow in northwestern Japan over the next 24 hours. Some highways have already been blocked, and in the areas affected by the disaster, railway traffic has also been suspended.
The runways at Obihiro and Kushiro airports were closed. Dozens of flights to Hokkaido have been cancelled, affecting thousands of people.
The snowstorm began just as a popular snow festival was kicking off in Sapporo in southern Hokkaido. The bad weather is expected to persist in northern Japan for about five more days. Heavy snowfall is forecast for Hokkaido and Honshu in the Tohoku and Hokuriku regions at the end of the week.
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