Japan Warns of Potential Snow Avalanches After Sudden Temperature Rise

On February 5th, Japanese officials warned of potential avalanches in the country's northern regions after sudden temperature increases following two weeks of continuous heavy snowfall. Snow that has been accumulating since late January has resulted in snow depths over 2 meters in many areas. Temperature reports showed 6.2°C in Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture, 5.9°C in Aomori, and 4.2°C in Sapporo. The Disaster Management Office reported at least 35 deaths and 393 injuries related to snow since January 20th. Fuji Television reported one man died when his home collapsed from heavy snow, and another was killed when a garage collapsed. Military personnel were deployed to clear snow, and meteorologists warned that cold weather would return over the weekend, potentially causing more heavy snowfall in northern regions.