Snow seen on Mount Fuji after record absence

Published November 7, 2024
THE top of Mount Fuji is covered by snow in this photo taken on Wednesday.—Reuters
THE top of Mount Fuji is covered by snow in this photo taken on Wednesday.—Reuters

TOKYO: Snow has finally fallen on Mount Fuji, images showed on Wednesday, after warm weather led to the Japanese mountain’s longest-ever stint with bare slopes.

The volcano’s famous snowcap begins forming on Oct 2 on average, and last year snow was first observed by government meteorologists on Oct 5.

Japan’s weather agency — which compares conditions from exactly the same location, Kofu City, each year — has not yet announced a new record for the slowest start to the snowcap, due to cloud cover at its monitoring station. But this year already marks the latest arrival of snow since comparative data became available in 1894, beating the previous record of Oct 26 — seen twice, in 1955 and 2016.

Photographs taken from different points around Japan’s highest mountain where the skies were clearer early on Wednesday showed a dusting of snow on its peak.

“These are photos of Mount Fuji, seen from the city hall this morning. We could see a thin layer of snow cover near the summit,” said a post on the official X account of Fuji City, in Japan’s central Shizuoka region.

Many others in the area also posted their own photographs of snow on the country’s highest mountain, and aerial footage from national broadcaster NHK showed close-ups of white powder on the rocky slopes.

“Finally, the first snow cover! Mount Fuji looks good with snow,” said a post from a nursing home, also in Fuji City.

A Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) official at the Kofu office said it was still too cloudy there to declare a new record. That was still the case in the afternoon.

“The temperature is low today,” so any snow on the mountain will likely stay put for now, the official said. Global warming is one factor that has led to the slow snow cover, he said.

Published in Dawn, November 7th, 2024

Opinion

Editorial

United stance
Updated 13 Nov, 2024

United stance

It would've been better if the OIC-Arab League summit had announced practical measures to punish Israel.
Unscheduled visit
13 Nov, 2024

Unscheduled visit

Unusual IMF visit shows the lender will closely watch implementation of programme goals to prevent it from derailing.
Bara’s businesswomen
13 Nov, 2024

Bara’s businesswomen

Bara’s brave women have proven that with the right support, societal barriers can be overcome.
System failure
Updated 12 Nov, 2024

System failure

Relevant institutions often treat right to internet connectivity with the same disdain as they do civil and political rights.
Narrowing the gap
12 Nov, 2024

Narrowing the gap

PERHAPS a pat on the back is in order for the ECP. Together with Nadra, it has made visible efforts to reduce...
Back on their feet
12 Nov, 2024

Back on their feet

A STIRRING comeback in the series has ended Pakistan’s 22-year wait for victory against world champions Australia....