Mount Fuji remains snow-free later than ever recorded, raising concerns about climate patterns.
Mount Fuji Experiences Unprecedented Snowless Season This year
Mount Fuji Experiences Unprecedented Snowless Season This year
Record-breaking warm temperatures leave Japan's iconic mountain bare long into the fall.
Mount Fuji, the majestic peak dominating Japan's skyline, has officially not seen any snowfall past the month of October, marking an unprecedented moment as it is the latest time in the year that the mountain has remained completely snowless since records began 130 years ago. Unlike the usual patterns that witness a dusting of snow on the mountain’s summit by early October, 2023 has remained distinctly anomalous due to unusually warm temperatures that have persisted through the fall.
Reports from the Japan Meteorological Society indicate that this year, the first sighting of snow atop Mount Fuji occurred much later than expected, on October 5. Japan experienced its hottest summer on record in 2023, with an average temperature increase of 1.76C (35.1F) above normal from June to August. This heat wave continued into September, attributed to the sub-tropical jet stream shifting northward, allowing warmer air to dominate.
The unusually high temperatures have led to nearly 1,500 regions within Japan experiencing what is classified as "extremely hot" days, with mercury levels soaring to or above 35C (95F) last month. For snow to form, temperatures ideally must hover around freezing, a condition that has not been met thus far this autumn.
Although October has seen a slight cooling trend, it remains warmer than average, leaving November to arrive without even a trace of snow on the iconic landscape. The previous record for the latest snowfall at Mount Fuji stood at October 26, a date reached only twice before in 1955 and 2016, according to Yutaka Katsuta, a forecaster at the Kofu Local Meteorological Office.
Mount Fuji, towering at 3,776 meters (12,460 feet) southwest of Tokyo, is not only Japan's highest mountain but also an emblem of cultural significance, featuring prominently in classic Japanese artwork, including famous woodblock prints. Additionally, it remains a popular climbing destination, attracting over 220,000 climbers who made the trek to its summit between July and September last year.
Reports from the Japan Meteorological Society indicate that this year, the first sighting of snow atop Mount Fuji occurred much later than expected, on October 5. Japan experienced its hottest summer on record in 2023, with an average temperature increase of 1.76C (35.1F) above normal from June to August. This heat wave continued into September, attributed to the sub-tropical jet stream shifting northward, allowing warmer air to dominate.
The unusually high temperatures have led to nearly 1,500 regions within Japan experiencing what is classified as "extremely hot" days, with mercury levels soaring to or above 35C (95F) last month. For snow to form, temperatures ideally must hover around freezing, a condition that has not been met thus far this autumn.
Although October has seen a slight cooling trend, it remains warmer than average, leaving November to arrive without even a trace of snow on the iconic landscape. The previous record for the latest snowfall at Mount Fuji stood at October 26, a date reached only twice before in 1955 and 2016, according to Yutaka Katsuta, a forecaster at the Kofu Local Meteorological Office.
Mount Fuji, towering at 3,776 meters (12,460 feet) southwest of Tokyo, is not only Japan's highest mountain but also an emblem of cultural significance, featuring prominently in classic Japanese artwork, including famous woodblock prints. Additionally, it remains a popular climbing destination, attracting over 220,000 climbers who made the trek to its summit between July and September last year.
