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Associated Press

After almost cancelling a popular annual snow festival due to unseasonable January warmth, record-breaking snowfall has hit Japan’s northern main island of Hokkaido, disrupting traffic, causing airport closures and delaying deliveries.
The Hokkaido prefectural government said record-breaking snowfall has been observed especially in the eastern regions of the island, including Obihiro and Kushiro, whose city offices received dozens of calls for help from drivers whose vehicles had stalled in the snow.
The heavy snow and traffic disruptions came just as the Sapporo Snow Festival began in southern Hokkaido, although the city did not face major disruptions.
Television footage showed residents shovelling snow and passengers pushing vehicles that got stuck. So far, no injuries or major damage have been reported.

In Obihiro, record-breaking snowfall of 129cm (4 feet) was detected earlier on Tuesday.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said two powerful low pressure systems are moving on both sides of the Japanese archipelago, sending cold air into the region.
The agency predicted up to 100cm (3.2 feet) of snowfall in northwestern Japan and 50cm (1.6 feet) more snowfall in Hokkaido over the next 24 hours through Wednesday evening.
The prefecture said parts of motorways and main roads were closed, and train services in the affected areas were suspended. Runways were closed due to snow at Obihiro and Kushiro airports, while dozens of flights in and out of Hokkaido were cancelled, affecting thousands of people.

About 370 schools cancelled classes on Tuesday across Hokkaido, according to the prefecture.
The snow also caused closures of post offices and other distribution services, delaying deliveries within Hokkaido and to destinations across Japan.
Hokkaido officials called on the residents and visitors to carry shovels and warm clothes in their vehicles in case they stall in the snow.


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From mild to wild: record snowfall buries northern Japan

Heavy machinery is used to clear a road in the city of Obihiro, Hokkaido prefecture, on Tuesday as snow falls across northern Japan. Photo: Jiji Press/AFP

A man tries to dig his car out of the snow using a shovel in Obihiro city on Tuesday. Photo: Jiji Press/AFP

Snow sculptures are seen lit up at Odori Park in Hokkaido on Tuesday, the opening day of the Sapporo Snow Festival. Photo: Kyodo

Melting point: Japan’s Sapporo Snow Festival skates on thin climate ice

Tourists pose for photos in front of a snow statue of US President Donald Trump at Sapporo Snow Festival in 2017. Photo: Kyodo

Snow is trucked into Odori Park in January 2020 for the Sapporo Snow Festival. Photo: Kyodo

A boy walks through the snow to get closer to a large snow sculpture during the 71st Sapporo Snow Festival at Odori Park in 2020. Photo: AP 

People admire a large snow sculpture of mammoths at the 50th Sapporo Snow Festival in 1999. Photo: AFP

Japan’s hottest year since records began threatens rice supply, ecosystems

Pedestrians use umbrellas to shade themselves from the sun on a hot day in Tokyo last July. Photo: AFP

A Japanese farmer harvests rice in Kazo, Saitama prefecture. Analysts warn that record high temperatures pose a risk to crops in Japan. Photo: AFP

A family in central Tokyo cools down under a mist shower during hot weather in July last year. Photo: AFP

Japan feels the heat as temperatures set to soar again this summer

Women use portable fans to cool off while walking around Tokyo last summer. Photo: AFP

A woman in Tokyo twirls under a misting spot to cool off in July last year as temperatures topped 30 degrees Celsius. Photo: AP 

Shoppers examine seafood at a stall in Tokyo last year. Rising sea temperatures could have a knock-on effect on fish prices in Japan, climate experts warn. Photo: EPA-EFE

Japan bakes as residents warned of once-in-a-decade, life-threatening temperatures

People protect themselves from the scorching sun with parasols and headgear in Tokyo’s Ginza shopping district earlier this month. Photo: Kyodo

People walk with parasols on a sweltering day in the central Japanese city of Nagoya last week. Photo: Kyodo

People cool off at a fountain in Yokohama. The national weather agency has warned of unseasonably high temperatures in all but four of Japan’s 47 prefectures. Photo: AP

News

Asia

East Asia

The heavy snow and traffic disruptions came just as the Sapporo Snow Festival began in southern Hokkaido


The heavy snow and traffic disruptions came just as the Sapporo Snow Festival began in southern Hokkaido.


Weather

From mild to wild: record snowfall buries northern Japan

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The heavy snow and traffic disruptions came just as the Sapporo Snow Festival began in southern Hokkaido

The heavy snow and traffic disruptions came just as the Sapporo Snow Festival began in southern Hokkaido