TOKYO - The Japan Meteorological Agency JMA is calling for people to be wary as heavy snow is expected to be in the Kanto-Koshin region, including the capital on February 10.
A developing low-pressure system set to pass over the southern coast of Japan's Honshu main island is expected to cause heavy snow mainly in the Kanto-Koshin region's mountains and surrounding areas from the morning of February 10. Snow may accumulate even in flat areas, such as central Tokyo. The JMA is urging people to be cautious of traffic disruptions due to heavy snow and icy road surfaces.
The JMA could issue a heavy snow warning for the region, consisting of Tokyo plus Nagano, Gunma, Saitama, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Chiba, Kanagawa and Yamanashi prefectures if temperatures are lower than predicted or if the snowfall is prolonged. In Tokyo, heavy snow is expected to fall mainly in the Tama region in the west, with some areas in the core 23 wards expected to see snow accumulation.
Low-pressure systems bringing snow to Tokyo are called south coast low-pressure systems because they pass over the south coast of Honshu. The Pacific Ocean side of the country, including the Japanese capital, usually sees little snowfall, so it can cause major transport disruptions, such as train suspensions. The JMA is urging people to pay attention to the latest weather information.