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Although in previous years, Mount Fuji would be covered in white snow in early October, the situation is different this year. It was not until early November that citizens captured the snow capped Mount Fuji, setting a record for the latest sighting in nearly 130 years. According to the Fuji City Government in Shizuoka Prefecture, on the morning of November 6th, citizens captured footage of snow covering the summit of Mount Fuji.
However, due to the cloudy weather conditions nearby, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has not officially confirmed this record. The report points out that monitoring stations in Japan usually compare annual weather changes at the same location, and accurate observations are still needed for clear weather.
As the weather cleared up, the Fuji City Government in Shizuoka area posted a message on social platform X, stating that citizens could see the thin snow on the top of Mount Fuji while looking out at the city government. The government also mentioned that through the cameras at the city hall, people can enjoy real-time views of Mount Fuji.
According to the usual pattern, the first snow on Mount Fuji appears on October 2nd on average. On October 5, 2023, meteorologists stationed in Kofu City, Yamanashi Prefecture recorded for the first time the snow capped Mount Fuji. This year, snow was not observed on the mountaintop until November 6, 2024, breaking the latest record since records began in 1894. At the same time, it exceeded the latest first snowfall time of October 26th in 1955 and 2016.
It is reported that due to the still cloudy weather in the area, the meteorological department has not yet announced a new record and hopes that the weather will clear up later that day. Officials said that the lower temperature may prevent the snow on the mountain from melting in the short term. One of the reasons for the delayed snow capped Mount Fuji may be related to global warming: “In October of this year, the temperature at the top of Mount Fuji was higher than the average in the past