Mount Fuji remains snowless into November after record heat
The summit of Mount Fuji in Japan should have been covered in snow for several weeks now. Unfortunately, although this was expected to happen at the beginning of October, there is no trace of snow on the mountain. Mount Fuji in Japan remains snow-free for the longest time in 130 years, reports The Guardian.
Mount Fuji in Japan, known for its snow cover appearing after the summer, has been without snow for the longest time in 130 years. As reported by "The Guardian," no snowfall was observed on this iconic mountain by 29 October.
The first snowfall on Fuji usually occurs in mid-September. This means that the mountain is usually blanketed in a thick layer of snow by the beginning of October. However, this year, snow did not cover Fuji throughout October.
Record-breaking delay
Yutaka Katsuta from the Kofu Local Meteorological Office explains that the high summer temperatures, lasting until September, prevented the inflow of cold air, delaying the snowfall. It is the latest date since 1894, breaking the previous record of 26 October, noted in 1955 and 2016.
The Japanese summer was one of the hottest on record, which experts mainly attribute to climate change. The past summer in Japan was exceptionally long and hot, with the average temperature in the Land of the Rising Sun in August exceeding the norm by around 1.5 degrees Celsius.
In the context of Japan's climate, it is also significant that temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius were recorded in at least 74 Japanese cities just in the first week of October 2024.
Fewer tourists on Fuji
This year, fewer tourists climbed Fuji, a consequence of Japanese authorities' introduction of fees and daily limits to combat excessive tourism. The mountain, known for its symmetrical shape, has been immortalised in many works of art, including Hokusai’s "The Great Wave."
