A powerful cold front has brought heavy snowfall along the Sea of Japan coast and to other areas, claiming at least four lives and prompting authorities to caution people against nonurgent outings through Friday.

According to the Meteorological Agency, mountains in Niigata Prefecture are forecast to receive 80 centimeters of snow over 24 hours through 6 a.m. Friday, and mountains in Toyama and Ishikawa prefectures are set to see 70 cm. In Ishikawa Prefecture, residents are still recovering from the earthquake a year ago, coupled with heavy rain last summer.

The 24-hour snowfall through early Thursday totaled in various regions included 53 cm in the village of Shirakawa, Gifu Prefecture; 49 cm in the city of Uonuma in Niigata Prefecture; and 48 cm in the town of Kaneyama in Fukushima Prefecture.

The weather agency has also announced it might issue a heavy snow warning for the city of Tsugaru in Aomori Prefecture on Friday, warning individuals to beware of traffic disruptions, snow falling from roofs and damage to buildings.

“In Tsugaru, the atmosphere will be extremely unstable from tomorrow morning to late at night, so please be careful of severe wind gusts and lightning,” the agency said on its website.

Snowfall is especially heavy in Aomori Prefecture, with the city of Hirosaki experiencing a record snowfall — or 3.7 times the average amount of accumulated snow for January.

For the first time in 13 years, 10 municipalities in Aomori Prefecture will be covered for heavy snowfall from Jan. 4 under the disaster relief act, which provides necessary financial support from the government for those affected in disasters.

In a news conference Wednesday, the Meteorological Agency said a strong cold-air mass will flow in by around Friday, creating a strong, winter pressure pattern. This will lead to continued snowfall primarily along the Sea of Japan side of Honshu, with the potential for heavy snow even in lowland areas.

Agency officials warned of the dangers posed by heavy snow piling up, which has already caused several fatalities. Local media reported that a woman in her 50s in the city of Aomori had died on Thursday when she fell from the roof of her home while trying to remove snow. At least three other deaths due to the snowfall have been confirmed since the turn of this year.

Officials from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism, warned during the same news conference of potential vehicle standstills, road closures and delays in public transportation.

The ministry urged people to avoid unnecessary outings, noting that during heavy snowfall in January of last year, a vehicle standstill near the Sekigahara Interchange on the Meishin Expressway took up to 34 hours to clear.

For those who must drive, it emphasized the importance of equipping vehicles with winter tires or chains, carrying winter gear such as shovels, and re-evaluating travel routes to ensure safety.