'Where did the snow go?': Mount Fuji's peak stays bare in 130-year first, setting off alarm bells
Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
Credit: Wikimedia Commons/Alpsdake
Snowless Peak
Mount Fuji’s snow cap is missing, marking the latest snowless date in 130 years. Is climate change to blame, or is there more to this story?
Heat Impact
Unseasonably high temperatures in Japan, with the hottest summer on record, delayed Mount Fuji's snowfall. Experts explain the reasons behind this weather anomaly.
Climate Concern
Research suggests that climate change is shrinking snowpacks globally. Dartmouth College studies show some snowpacks have decreased by up to 20% each decade.
El Niño Effect
The 2023-24 El Niño may have exacerbated this year’s extreme weather, with warming waters contributing to warmer, wetter conditions globally.
Record Delay
Meteorologists are baffled as Mount Fuji’s snow cap typically forms by early October. This year, it remains bare, breaking the previous latest record from 1995.
Global Phenomenon
Japan’s weather isn’t an isolated case. Last summer saw the hottest global temperatures ever recorded, impacting ecosystems worldwide.
Tourist Disappointment
Mount Fuji’s iconic snow-capped peak attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors. This year, tourists are surprised to see the peak still bare.
Scientific Vigilance
Meteorologists climb to the roof of their Kofu office to monitor Fuji’s snow cap. This year, clear skies revealed the mountain’s continued lack of snow.
Expert Insight
“Global warming is likely a factor,” says Mamoru Matsumoto of KLMO. But the exact causes of this record-breaking delay remain a subject of debate.