For the first time since recordkeeping began 130 years ago, Japan’s revered Mount Fuji remains snow-free deep into autumn. Typically crowned with snow by mid-October, the 12,388-foot peak has stayed bare, breaking the previous record for the latest first snowfall set on October 26, 1955, and matched again in 2016. Meteorologists attribute the delay to unseasonably high temperatures, part of a wider climate trend that has gradually raised autumn temperatures across the globe.
Meteorologists cite climate trends for unseasonal delay
Experts from the Kofu Local Meteorological Office, situated roughly 40 kilometers from Fuji, confirmed that warmer-than-usual temperatures have held off the season’s first snowfall. In a long-standing tradition, they declare Fuji’s first snowcap as soon as it is visible from their observation point, a practice that has continued for more than a century. While sporadic seasonal shifts sometimes delay snow, officials point to broader climate patterns this year, linking the extended summer heat directly to the climate crisis.
As climate shifts prolong summer conditions, changes in seasonal weather and snowfall patterns are growing increasingly common across Japan. The result has been warmer autumns, reduced snow cover, and changing precipitation patterns. Mount Fuji’s bare summit joins a global list of unusual seasonal disruptions tied to rising global temperatures, with 2024 on track to be the hottest year on record for the second consecutive year.
Rising temperatures wreak havoc nationwide
Japan’s coastal and mountain regions are grappling with climate impacts. Following the hottest summer on record for the second consecutive year, temperatures nationwide were 1.76°C above the 1991-2020 average. In October alone, several Japanese cities recorded highs nearing or exceeding 30 °C. An analysis by Climate Central concluded that the extreme temperatures Japan experienced this year were three times more likely due to the climate crisis.
The toll of this year’s record heat was evident, with 252 heat-related deaths reported in Tokyo between June and September, many of whom were elderly residents found without air conditioning. The early bloom of cherry blossoms this year further underscored the ecological impacts of climate change, spurring concerns about Japan’s iconic seasonal markers.
Beyond Climate: Mount Fuji faces pressures of over-tourism
Climate isn’t the only strain on Mount Fuji. As millions of visitors flock to its trails each year, local authorities have implemented a tourist tax to help manage the environmental impact. This measure aims to mitigate the effects of overtourism on Fuji’s ecosystem, as the pressures of visitation add to the challenges facing this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In the context of climate change and human impact, Fuji’s first snow delay serves as both a symbol and a warning of the broader environmental transformations reshaping the world.