Japan Braces for a Deadly Cold Wave: Tokyo Faces Unprecedented Chill in March

The killer cold wave will soon hit Tokyo!

At Murodo Hira in Toyama Prefecture, a snow depth of 7 meters was recorded. In Shikoku and Kyushu, several tens of centimeters of snow have accumulated, mainly in the mountainous areas. According to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency, at least 13 people have died and 173 have been injured due to the cold wave that began in early February. The unknown “Killer Cold Wave” is expected to soon hit Tokyo as well.

“On the Sea of Japan side, and in Shikoku and Kyushu, snow clouds are being carried in by northwesterly winds, causing heavy snowfall. In Tokyo, even though the northwesterly winds blow, the snow clouds are blocked by the Chichibu and other mountain ranges, so they don’t make it into the city. However, if the wind shifts to the northeast, it’s a different story. Active snow clouds could reach Tokyo, bringing record-breaking snow. In fact, northeast winds do blow several times a year, so it wouldn’t be surprising if the heavy snow from the Sea of Japan side also hit Tokyo,” said Professor Tachibana.

Meteorologist Koji Murayama pointed out another danger.

“A whiteout, where you can’t see anything just a step ahead, can occur in blizzards. In January 2019, in Tōbetsu Town, Hokkaido, there was an incident where residents froze to death just a few centimeters before their house’s entrance because they couldn’t see in the blizzard. This could happen in Tokyo as well.”

Even as March arrives and temperatures rise, it doesn’t seem like we will be freed from the terror of snow. Meteorologist Masamitsu Morita sounded an alarm:

“When snow starts to melt, avalanches occur. There are surface avalanches, where the top layer of snow slides down, and full-snow avalanches, where the entire layer of snow collapses. Surface avalanches can reach speeds of up to 200 km/h, similar to the speed of a Shinkansen. Even full-snow avalanches can reach speeds of about 70 km/h, the same as a car. Once an avalanche occurs nearby, it is almost impossible to escape. Before an avalanche, there is a sound like rumbling from the earth. If you hear such a strange sound, consider it a sign of disaster and evacuate.”

In September 2023, UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated that humanity has opened the gates of hell regarding recent extreme weather. It seems that the Earth has entered an extreme era, where deadly heat waves strike in the summer and killer cold waves in the winter.

From the March 7, 2025 issue of “FRIDAY”