Mount Fuji sets record for longest snow delay since 1894 following Japan’s hottest summer

Japan’s iconic Mount Fuji remains snowless, setting a new record for the longest delay in snowfall since record-keeping began in 1894. The peaks of Japan’s highest mountain, which usually see snow by early October, have yet to receive any snowfall due to unusually warm weather this year, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

Mount Fuji, a towering 3,776-metre active volcano, stands 100 kilometres southwest of Tokyo. Revered as one of Japan's Three Holy Mountains, this iconic peak has drawn pilgrims and hikers for centuries.

On average, the volcano’s snowcap forms on October 2 and snow was first detected on October 5 of last year. Since observations began in 1894 by Kofu branch of the Japan Meteorological Agency in Yamanashi Prefecture, Mount Fuji’s first snowcap typically appeared in September, reported Japanese news website The Asahi Shimbu. 

However, in the decades following World War II, a noticeable trend emerged: Later snowfalls. This shift is evident in the record-breaking late dates of October 23, which occurred in 1961, 1969 and 2017.

As of October 29, 2024, Mount Fuji had still not accumulated snow — a significant marker given that the previous latest date for snowfall was 26 October, recorded in both 1955 and 2016, reported news website The Guardian. Snow forecast website snow-forecast.com  has predicted snow by next week — November 6 — on the peak. 

The forecaster at Kofu Local Meteorological Office, Yutaka Katsuta, told news agency AFP that high temperatures from Japan’s joint-hottest summer on record have disrupted typical snow-forming conditions. Climate change may have an impact on the delay in snowcap formation, he added.

While average October temperatures eased slightly, they remained warmer than usual, likely due to the sub-tropical jet stream’s more northerly position, which allowed warmer southerly air to flow over Japan, reported news website BBC.

In addition to an unprecedented heatwave, temperatures were between 1.76 degrees Celsius higher than usual from June to August, with nearly 1,500 locations experiencing “extremely hot” days exceeding 35°C in September, according to Japan Meteorological Agency. The prolonged warmth hindered the usual cooling required for rain to turn to snow at the summit.

The impact of climate change is suggested by experts as a contributing factor to this delay, though it is difficult to attribute any single weather event solely to climate change.