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Cold snap and snow hit Tokyo and surrounding areas, disrupting some flights

Feb 10, 2019 | News On Japan

Feb 10, 2019 (Japan Times) - A cold snap hit Tokyo and its surrounding areas Saturday, causing cancellations of more than 100 domestic flights to and from the capital.

The Meteorological Agency said up to 5 cm of snow was expected to fall in central Tokyo by 6 a.m. Sunday due to a cold air mass above a wide swath of the country’s east.

Japan Airlines Co. and All Nippon Airways Co. canceled more than 100 flights Saturday into and out of Haneda and Narita airports servicing the capital.

At Narita airport in Chiba Prefecture, the operator closed one runway to clear it of snow.

Snowfall of up to 2 cm was observed in parts of Chiba.

The temperature in central Tokyo registered half a degree Celsius below zero at 7 a.m. and snow fell for a few hours. But the snow turned into cold rain by early afternoon.

Some major universities in Tokyo held entrance examinations on Saturday, but no major delays were reported. Universities had braced for train disruptions and other trouble with public transportation.

Cold weather also continued to hit Hokkaido on Saturday, with the mercury dropping below minus 20 in many locations, including Rikubetsu, where the temperature was recorded at minus 31.8, according to the agency.

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