TOKYO: Heavy snow in Japan’s northern area canceled dozens of flights on Tuesday (Dec 31) as thousands and thousands of households returned residence to spend the New Year holidays with their family members.
Japan Airlines mentioned it canceled 42 flights, affecting 6,398 passengers, in early afternoon, all providers to and from the northernmost island of Hokkaido.
Its important rival, ANA, additionally canceled 14 flights, affecting 800 passengers, as a consequence of dangerous climate within the north, and warned its prospects of doable delays and additional cancellations.
At Hokkaido’s important airport, passengers fashioned lengthy queues to safe various flights.
Some have been getting ready to see 2025 within the departure lounge.
“It was nice to see the snow, however I did not suppose I might be trapped right here,” one man attempting to return residence to Okinawa within the south instructed broadcaster HTB.
“I do not know what to do. Maybe I’ll have to remain on the airport tonight.”
Hokkaido and communities alongside the northern coasts bordering the Sea of Japan have been hit by robust winds and heavy snow on Tuesday, in accordance with the Japan Meteorological Agency.
More than 20cm of snow has fallen in components of Hokkaido since Monday, most of it on Tuesday morning, the climate company mentioned, including that the snowfall is anticipated to proceed into New Year’s Day.
This yr’s Japanese summer season was the most well liked on file – matching the extent seen in 2023 – as excessive warmth waves fueled by local weather change engulfed many components of the globe.
According to the nationwide climate company, the autumn was the warmest since measurements started 126 years in the past.
Mount Fuji’s well-known snow cap was additionally absent for the longest interval on file this yr, showing solely in early November, in comparison with the typical for early October.
