On December 20th, vehicles are stranded on an expressway in Niigata Prefecture, Kashiwazaki. Ikuro Aiba Stronger cold air will flow into Japan from Jan. 2, bringing heavy snow to northern and eastern regions mainly on the Sea of Japan side, Japan Meteorological Agency officials said on December 27.
Even low-lying areas are expected to be hit, they said.
The snow is expected to fall intermittently for several days until January 7.
The snowfall is not expected to be as severe as the snowstorm that began on December 17, but the JMA does not have a forecast for how much snow will accumulate or when it will peak.
JMA officials warn of avalanches if snow piles up in areas still covered in snow from the previous storm. They are calling for people to check out the latest weather information. At least 17 people died in the heavy snow that started on December 17, Koichi Tani, state minister for disaster management, said at a news conference on December 27.
Forty-eight people were seriously injured and 33 houses were partially damaged, he said.