Dec 26 (NHK) - Japanese weather officials say a severe cold air mass is bringing heavy snow to wide areas along the Sea of Japan.
The Meteorological Agency says such a persistent influx of cold air has not been seen in several years.
The snowfall is especially heavy in western parts of the main island of Honshu.
In Hyogo Prefecture, Asago City's Wadayama district saw 71 centimeters of snow in the 24 hours through Monday morning.
Sixty-eight centimeters of snowfall was recorded in the city of Hikone in Shiga Prefecture. Both amounts are the largest since record-keeping began.
Weather officials warn the snow clouds are expected to gradually move east and could affect areas in Hokuriku, Tohoku and Hokkaido.
The expected maximum amount for the 24 hours through Tuesday morning is 90 centimeters in Niigata Prefecture, and 80 centimeters in Gifu Prefecture and areas in the Kansai region.
The Japan Meteorological Agency is warning that heavy snow could disrupt traffic and trigger avalanches. It also says the weight of snow accumulating on power cables could cause them to snap, leading to blackouts.
