Tokyo, Feb 9 (IANS): A powerful cold air mass and winter pressure patterns have brought continuous snowfall to coastal and mountainous areas along the Sea of Japan, significantly increasing snow accumulation that caused widespread disruptions to people's lives.
While the peak of heavy snowfall has passed in western Japan and the Kanto-Koshin region, intermittent snow is expected to continue in northern and eastern Japan, particularly on the Sea of Japan side, Xinhua news agency reported on Sunday.
As of noon, six-hour snowfall totaled 16 cm in Minakami Town, Gunma Prefecture, and 15 cm in Hinoemata Village, Fukushima Prefecture, according to national broadcaster NHK.
Forecasts predict additional snowfall by the morning of Monday, with strong winds and high waves, particularly in northern and eastern Japan.
Weather officials are warning of avalanches, traffic disruptions, power outages, falling trees, and other snow-related incidents.
The Japan Meteorological Agency continues to warn residents about road hazards, blizzards, avalanches, power outages due to snow accumulation, and coastal hazards from high waves.
As of Sunday noon, the depth of snow had reached 314 cm in Uonuma City in Niigata Prefecture and 310 cm in Nishikawa Town in Yamagata Prefecture.
Some areas have received three to four times their entire annual averages. Toyama City has seen 64 cm, 26 cm fell on Niigata City, and 25 cm in Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture.
Snow has also accumulated on the plains of the Kinki and Tokai regions as well. The flatlands normally do not see much snow. As of 5 a.m., snow was 25 cm deep in Hikone City in Shiga Prefecture and 19 cm in Sekigahara Town in Gifu Prefecture.
Total snowfall expected for the 24-hour period through Monday morning could reach 50 cm in the Tohoku region; 40 cm in northern Kanto and prefectures of Niigata and Gifu; 30 cm in Nagano Prefecture and Hokuriku and Kinki regions and 20 cm in the Chugoku region.
Strong winds are also forecast to pick up across northern and eastern Japan and waves are expected to be high across the country. Snow has piled up above average levels in many areas.