Tokyo normally doesn't have snow in November. It has been half a century since Tokyo has last seen snow before December. Now early snow comes to Tokyo, for the first time in 54 years.
Temperatures approached zero as Tokyo had snow this November. Many commuters and vehicles were caught by surprise by the unexpected snowfall. The Japan Meteorological Agency has said that Tokyo has not experienced this since the last time it happened back in 1962.
Snow fell on Tokyo because of a cold air mass brought in wet snow. The snow didn't accumulate much since temperatures were still above freezing, though in the western suburbs snow did accumulate on sidewalks. About 2 centimeters of snow have fallen.
While the snow didn't stay for long, it caused inconvenience among people. Trains were delayed as the snowfall has not been expected, according to USA Today. This has also caused some to wonder if this might be because of a changing global climate.
While global warming has brought climate change to the world, the early November snow in Tokyo should not alarm residents there. Sakiko Nishioka, an agency official who is also forecasting weather, said that the snowfall has been the result of several elements happening at once. He said that it is not a sign of unusual weather. He did say that it is still not clear if this might be connected to climate change, as Phys Org reports.
Tokyo often has mild winters compared to other places in Japan. Though the snowfall has been brief, there were reports of injury. At least 47 people were reported to have been injured during the brief snowfall.
The snowfall turned to rain just as quickly, which has melted much of the snow away. Temperatures would still be low, though it should be sunny by Friday. The unusual early snow has also become an opportunity for people to take photographs.
Early snow comes to Tokyo, which is the first time in 54 years. Many are thinking that it might be part of the ongoing climate change, though that has yet to be determined. Global warming just might bring extremely cold winters, as a study has shown.
