Vehicles stranded, trains and planes cancelled, and schools closed after record 129cm of snow falls in 12 hours. Record-breaking snowfall has engulfed many areas across northern Japan, causing widespread disruption. Areas of low pressure and strong north-westerly winds brought cold air from the Asian continent, causing the recent wintry weather. In the Takachi district of Obihiro, a city in the northern prefecture of Hokkaido, a record 129cm (4ft) of snowfall in 12 hours was measured earlier this week. The heavy snow led to travel chaos with many vehicles left stranded, trains and planes cancelled, and hundreds of schools closed.
Temperatures across parts of Japan have dropped below -10C, and the strong winds have led to rough seas along the north-west coastline. A further 40cm to 80cm (16-32in) of snow has been falling during the second half of the week across several prefectures including Niigata, Tohoku, and Hokuriku. Prolonged torrential rainfall in Queensland, Australia, resulted in two deaths this week, and thousands of people were advised to seek higher ground due to serious flooding. More than 1,100mm of rain was dumped on the town of Ingham and the city of Townsville since the beginning of this week, equivalent to about six months’ worth of rain. As a result, about 10,000 homes were left without power and floodwaters caused the partial collapse of a highway link, which hindered recovery efforts near Ingham on Sunday.
Heavy rain and mountain snow affected parts of California over the past week, triggering severe flooding and landslides. The area of Palmetto, about 17 miles east of the city of Chico, has recorded more than 600mm of rainfall since last Friday, and surrounding locations recorded well over 500mm. Mount Shasta, a ski resort in northern California, has reported 172cm (68in) of snow in the last week, of which 130cm (51in) fell in three days.
Sign up to Down to Earth. The planet's most important stories. Get all the week's environment news - the good, the bad and the essential. after newsletter promotion. As a result of these exceptional rainfall totals, a house in the town of Forestville in Sonoma County fell into the Russian River after a landslide on Wednesday. All low-lying areas downstream of the river have been put under evacuation orders due to the ongoing flooding risk. Heavy rain in Los Angeles County has also caused the risk of debris and mudslides in areas still recovering from recent wildfires. Flood watches remain in effect through until the end of the week, with more heavy rain expected next week.
