Heavy Snowfall Expected on Sea of Japan Side from Wed.

Tokyo, Jan. 20 (Jiji Press)–Heavy snow is expected mainly along the Sea of Japan coast, due to a strong winter pressure pattern from Wednesday through Sunday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said Tuesday. The agency warned of possible traffic disruptions and avalanches, as an influx of cold air could bring heavy snowfall to regions ranging from the northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido to the Chugoku western region. On Tuesday morning, many areas in Hokkaido, the Tohoku northeastern region and the Hokuriku central region experienced strong winds and snow, due to two low-pressure systems above the northern Sea of Japan and off the eastern coast of Hokkaido. According to All Nippon Airways, 38 flights scheduled to depart from or arrive at New Chitose Airport near Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido, on Tuesday afternoon have been canceled, affecting about 3,000 people. East Japan Railway Co., or JR East, suspended Akita Shinkansen services between Morioka Station in Iwate Prefecture and Akita Station in Akita Prefecture, both in Tohoku, since the first train of the day. At Cape Erimo in Hokkaido, a maximum instantaneous wind speed of 32.7 meters per second was recorded around 9:10 a.m., while the city of Nikaho in Akita saw 25.9 meters per second shortly after 7:25 a.m. In the 12 hours to 9 a.m., snowfall reached 26 centimeters in the Hokkaido town of Rausu, 25 centimeters in the town of Nishikawa in Yamagata Prefecture in Tohoku and 23 centimeters in the village of Sekikawa in the central prefecture of Niigata. In the 24 hours until 6 a.m. on Wednesday, snowfall of up to 50 centimeters is forecast in Hokkaido and Tohoku. The following day, through 6 a.m. Thursday, snowfall is projected to reach 100 centimeters in Hokuriku, 70 centimeters in Tohoku, 50 centimeters in the Kinki western region and 40 centimeters in Hokkaido and the Kanto-Koshin eastern to central region. Over the next 24 hours, snowfall is expected to total 100 centimeters in Hokuriku, 70 centimeters in Tohoku, 50 centimeters in Kinki and 40 centimeters in Kanto-Koshin. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]