Mount Fuji's First Snowfall Spotted

Nov 07, 2024 | News On Japan

YAMANASHI, Nov 07, 2024 (News On Japan) - Snow was spotted on the Shizuoka side of Mount Fuji's (3,776 meters) summit on the morning of October 6th, confirmed by a Kyodo News reporter.

At the base, Yamanashi Prefecture’s Fujiyoshida City declared its own "First Snow Decoration" after visually confirming the snow. However, due to cloudy conditions, the Kofu Local Meteorological Observatory, which observes first snow from about 40 kilometers away, could not confirm the sighting, and no official announcement of Mount Fuji’s first snow has been made.

While the Kofu observatory is responsible for the official declaration of first snow based on visual observation from roughly 40 kilometers away, cloudy skies on the Yamanashi side prevented visibility, delaying the announcement. If confirmed by the observatory, it would be the latest first snow on record. Observing snow on October 6th would mark a delay of 35 days compared to the average and 32 days later than last year. The latest previous record for Mount Fuji's first snow was October 26th, set in 1955 and again in 2016. According to the meteorological observatory, a local front developed south of Shizuoka Prefecture from the night of October 5th through the morning of October 6th, as a trough passed through the area, resulting in snow on the Shizuoka side. An official noted in an interview, "Precipitation was lighter on the Yamanashi side, making snow accumulation uncertain." A Kyodo News helicopter captured faint traces of snow near the summit.

Source: Kyodo

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