Weather tracker: Japan’s record snowfall causes chaos as temperatures dive​on February 7, 2025 at 9:59 am

Vehicles stranded, trains and planes cancelled, and schools closed after record 129cm of snow falls in 12 hoursRecord-breaking snowfall has engulfed swaths of northern Japan, causing widespread disruption. Areas of low pressure and strong north-westerly winds brought cold air from other parts of Asia, causing the extreme weather.In the Takachi district of Obihiro, a city in the northern prefecture of Hokkaido, a record 129cm (4ft) of snowfall in 12 hours was measured this week. The conditions affected travel, with many vehicles stranded, trains and planes cancelled, and hundreds of schools closed. Continue reading…Vehicles stranded, trains and planes cancelled, and schools closed after record 129cm of snow falls in 12 hoursRecord-breaking snowfall has engulfed swaths of northern Japan, causing widespread disruption. Areas of low pressure and strong north-westerly winds brought cold air from other parts of Asia, causing the extreme weather.In the Takachi district of Obihiro, a city in the northern prefecture of Hokkaido, a record 129cm (4ft) of snowfall in 12 hours was measured this week. The conditions affected travel, with many vehicles stranded, trains and planes cancelled, and hundreds of schools closed. Continue reading…   

Record-breaking snowfall has engulfed swaths of northern Japan, causing widespread disruption. Areas of low pressure and strong north-westerly winds brought cold air from other parts of Asia, causing the extreme weather.

In the Takachi district of Obihiro, a city in the northern prefecture of Hokkaido, a record 129cm (4ft) of snowfall in 12 hours was measured this week. The conditions affected travel, with many vehicles stranded, trains and planes cancelled, and hundreds of schools closed.

Temperatures in parts of Japan have dropped below -10C, and strong winds have led to rough seas along the north-west coastline. A further 40-80cm (16-32in) of snow fell during the second half of the week in several prefectures including Niigata, Tohoku, and Hokuriku.

Prolonged torrential rainfall in Queensland, Australia, resulted in two deaths this week, and thousands of people were advised to seek higher ground after heavy flooding. More than 1,100mm of rain was dumped on the town of Ingham and the city of Townsville, equivalent to about six months’ worth of rain. As a result, about 10,000 homes were left without power and flood waters caused the partial collapse of a highway link, which hindered recovery efforts near Ingham on Sunday.

Heavy rain and mountain snow hit parts of California, triggering severe flooding and landslides. Palmetto, a neighbourhood about 17 miles east of the city of Chico, has recorded more than 600mm of rainfall since last Friday, and surrounding locations recorded well over 500mm. Mount Shasta, a ski resort in northern California, has reported 172cm (68in) of snow in the past week, of which 130cm (51in) fell in three days.

As a result of these exceptional rainfall totals, a house in the town of Forestville in Sonoma County fell into the Russian River after a landslide on Wednesday. All low-lying areas downstream have been put under evacuation orders because of the risk of floods. Heavy rain in Los Angeles County has increased the chance of debris flow and mudslides in areas still recovering from wildfires. Flood watches remain in effect for the next couple of days, with more heavy rain expected next week.