Mount Fuji records late first snow cover

The Japan Meteorological Agency announced that the first snow cover of the season was observed on Mount Fuji on October 30. This observation marks the second latest occurrence on record, following the 2024 season, and is 28 days later than the seasonal average of October 2.

This year marks a significant change in monitoring procedures. For the first time in 132 years, the agency has transitioned from visual confirmation by staff to a method utilizing weather radar and the Automated Meteorological Data Acquisition System (AMeDAS). Under this new system, 1 centimeter of snow was detected at the summit around 8:25 AM.

In Fujiyoshida City, officials issued a “first snow decoration declaration” after visually confirming the snow cover on the morning of October 30. This local observation was 23 days later than the average and represents the second latest instance for the city.