For the first time since meteorological observations began in 1894, the slopes of Japan's famous Mount Fujiyama were left without snow cover, gazeta.ru reports with reference to Phys.org and AFP.
This phenomenon is especially remarkable against the background of an established climate tradition: usually, a snow cap begins to form on the summit of a dormant volcano already in early October. For comparison, last year the first snow adorned the slopes of Fuji on October 5. The current situation has surpassed the previous late records, set on October 26 in 1955 and 2016.
Meteorologists attribute the lack of snow to abnormally warm weather: high temperatures throughout September prevented cold air masses from penetrating the region. This phenomenon became part of a wider climate anomaly - the summer of 2024 was recognized as the hottest in the history of meteorological observations in Japan.
Mount Fuji, traditionally covered in snow for much of the year, is not only a natural landmark but also a popular tourist destination. Between July and September, when the slopes are free of snow, more than 220 thousand tourists climb its rocky trails. However, this year the number of visitors has decreased due to the introduction of a limit on the number of daily climbers - a measure aimed at combating the excess tourist flow.
