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October is drawing to a close and there is still no snow on Mount Fuji. The majestic slopes of Japan’s highest mountain remain uncovered for the first time since records began 130 years ago, the local weather agency said.
A snowpack usually begins to form around October 2. Last year, the first snow was detected on October 5. But this year, the weather has not cooled down enough for snowfall to be observed, said Yutaka Katsuta, a forecaster at the local weather bureau in Kofu.
That marks the latest date since comparative records became possible in 1894, he added, beating the previous record of October 26. “Temperatures were high this summer, and warm weather continued into September, preventing the arrival of cold air,” that brings snow, Katsuta told AFP. He agreed that climate change may have had some impact on the delayed arrival of snow on Mount Fuji.
Japan experienced its hottest summer on record this year, as did several other regions around the world that were hit by extreme heatwaves fueled by climate change.
