Heavy snow has been forecast for the greater Tokyo area Friday morning, with the Meteorological Agency warning people to watch out for icy roads and possible disruption to public transport.
The agency predicted Wednesday that while mountainous areas in the Kanto region would see most of the heavy snowfall, other places, including in central Tokyo, could experience snow during morning commuting hours.
“If the amount of precipitation increases, or if it turns to rain later in the day, there is a chance for an alarming level of snowfall,” the Meteorological Agency warned. “So pay close attention to traffic disruption due to heavy snow and icy roads.”
Weathernews website predicted that highways in the northern Kanto region could be closed because of the snow, while trains heading to northern and western areas in the region could also be halted.
In the southern Kanto region, snow is predicted to turn to rain in the afternoon, mainly in coastal areas.
But prefectures such as Ibaraki, Miyagi and Fukushima, on the Pacific coast, are predicted to see heavy snowfall on both Friday and Saturday.
The Prime Minister’s Office established a liaison office at its crisis management center on Wednesday in preparation.
Information from Kyodo added