Tokyo’s serene winter landscape turned chaotic as a ferocious blizzard battered northern Japan on Wednesday, crippling daily life with biting cold and gale-force winds. Hokkaido and coastal areas along the Japan Sea bore the brunt, where heavy snow and whiteout conditions forced the suspension of rail services and grounded flights.
JR Hokkaido reported over 50 train cancellations since Tuesday due to whipping snow, fierce winds, and sub-zero temperatures that made tracks impassable. At New Chitose Airport, 82 flights faced outright cancellation, with dozens more delayed amid the unrelenting storm. Authorities issued stark warnings of prolonged whiteouts and massive snow accumulation persisting into Thursday dawn, threatening further disruptions to transportation networks.
Meteorologists forecast winds gusting up to 35 meters per second along the southern Japan Sea coast, 30 m/s in northern Sea of Japan and Pacific coastal zones. Maritime regions face equal peril, with eastern Pacific and southern Okhotsk Sea bracing for 35 m/s gales. The next 24 hours could dump up to 40 cm of snow in northern and southern areas adjacent to the Japan Sea.
The extreme weather isn’t confined to Japan. China’s National Meteorological Observatory predicts a 10-day spell of plummeting temperatures, strong winds, and snow in Inner Mongolia and northeast regions. Temperatures may drop 2-5°C below normal, driven by persistent cold air masses. Warnings also cover sandstorms in Inner Mongolia and Gansu, urging farmers to protect wheat crops, reinforce greenhouses, and secure livestock shelters against the deep freeze.