For the first time since 1894, Mount Fuji, Japan’s highest peak, remains snow-free at its summit as October draws to a close—a stark reminder of the potential impacts of global warming.
Last year, snow blanketed the mountaintop by October 5, but this year, unusually warm weather has delayed its arrival.
Japan’s meteorological agency originally expected snow to cover the summit starting on October 2, around the same time as last year’s first snowfall. However, no snow has yet appeared.
Mount Fuji without Snow at the End of October: A Record Statistic
The absence of snow on Mount Fuji is an extraordinary phenomenon. Known for its constant snowy peak, the mountain typically has at least some snow cover, though it varies in amount throughout the year. This year, however, it seems unusual for the mountain to be completely snowless.
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Scientists believe one key reason for this anomaly is Japan’s record-breaking summer heat, with temperatures from June to August averaging 1.76 degrees Celsius higher than normal.
Other possible factors, according to reports from Livedoor News via SoraNews24, include two typhoons that recently swept through eastern Japan, which may have affected weather conditions at the mountain’s high altitude.
While Mount Fuji remains bare, clouds near the summit hint at the potential return of snow as temperatures drop and typhoon activity lessens in the coming months.
So… When Will It Snow on Mount Fuji?
According to tenki.jp, a weather forecast website run by the Japan Meteorological Association, rain may fall around Mount Fuji on November 6. “Cold air will move in, changing the rain to snow at the summit,” the site reported.
If accurate, this forecast suggests the first snowfall could arrive on the morning of November 7. Another forecast company, Weather News, told AFP that “the first snowfall will likely be delayed until November.”
