Jan 29 (NHK) - A rapidly developing low-pressure system is bringing stormy conditions to a wide area of the Sea of Japan coast, from Hokkaido to Hokuriku.
Weather officials are warning of sudden squalls that could disrupt traffic and bring heavy snowfall to the area.
Weather officials say the winds and snow can quickly intensify. They are calling for caution against disruptions to traffic as well as snowstorms and heavy snowfall.
The Meteorological Agency says the weather system is moving east over the Sea of Japan. Some locations in northern Japan are being hit by blizzards.
Wind gusts of about 100 kilometers per hour were recorded in the city of Akita, Akita Prefecture, and in the town of Fukaura, Aomori Prefecture, on Friday morning.
Fierce winds of over 70 kilometers per hour are forecast in the Kansai region for Friday evening and in Hokuriku, Tohoku and Hokkaido overnight into early Saturday.
Weather officials say people should brace for "whiteout" conditions, in which snow whipped up by strong wind causes extremely low visibility.
People are also advised to be on the alert for heavy snowfall. The city of Sapporo was blanketed with 18 centimeters of snow over the course of 6 hours on Friday morning. Snow is accumulating even on the plains in Hokkaido and Hokuriku.
In a 24-hour period through Saturday morning, up to 70 centimeters of snow is expected in Hokuriku and Niigata and Gifu prefectures, and up to 60 centimeters in Hokkaido and Tohoku.
The weather agency is asking people to stay alert for blizzards, heavy snowfall, high waves and avalanches as well as power outages.
The government has set up a liaison office at the crisis management center in the Prime Minister's Official Residence to monitor the situation.
