Hundreds of schools close as record-breaking 124 cm of snow hits northern Japan
Northern Japan received record snowfall on February 4. The city of Obihiro observed 124 centimetres of snowfall in 24 hours by 11 a.m.
By 11 a.m. Tuesday, a record-breaking 124 cm of snow hit the city of Obihiro in Hokkaido, forcing the closure of about 370 schools.
It's the largest 24-hour snowfall accumulation amount the city has seen since record-keeping began.

The snow also caused other minor disruptions, including delivery and transportation delays.
And it isn't over yet: A low-pressure system is expected to bring additional snow to northern Japan for the rest of the week.
Mother Nature could be helping the region out: The snow comes just in time for Hokkaido's popular Sapporo Snow Festiva which began Tuesday and will run until February 11.
Header image credit: Naoki Haranaka / The Yomiuri Shimbun via Reuters Connect. Hokkaido, Japan on February 4, 2025.