February: Record Snowfall in Japan and Erratic Cyclone Alfred
- Brandon Wong
- May 27
- 4 min read
Updated: May 28
February continued to be a relatively snowy month for the United States. However, other countries experienced natural disasters. In northeastern Japan, multiple areas experienced record-breaking snowfall, causing major disruptions to many communities. In late February, Cyclone Alfred formed and moved erratically south and west. Alfred brought severe coastal erosion and flooding to portions of Queensland and New South Wales. Let's dive into how these extreme weather events occurred and their impacts.
Record Snowfall in Japan
The stunning snowfall unfolded in Hokkaido, Japan when a low-pressure system rapidly intensified. Another low pressure was present to the west of Hokkaido. The combination of the two lows, frigid air from Siberia, and Hokkaido's mountainous terrain led to extremely heavy sea-effect snow. This storm led to unprecedented snowfall and caused widespread disruptions, including canceled flights, school closures, and stranded vehicles.
The extremely heavy snow shattered numerous records. On February 4, in the Takachi district of Obihiro, the city received a record-breaking 1.29 meters or about 51 inches of snow in only 12 hours! Absolutely incredible to see that amount of snow in such a short time frame. The last time Obihiro exceeded 1.2 meters of snow was back in 1972. Kushiro also recorded similar amounts of mind-boggling snowfall. Authorities received numerous calls of drivers stuck in their vehicles due to the heavy snow. Memuro measured a staggering 41 inches or 1.05 meters of snow over a 12-hour period. The extraordinary snowfall highlights the powerful and disruptive nature of the winter storms in Hokkaido.
Cyclone Alfred
Meteorological History
February was an extremely active month for tropical cyclones in the Southern Hemisphere. Two significant cyclones impacted Australia: Zelia and Alfred. However, Alfred was definitely the more unique and notable storm. On February 20, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) monitored a tropical disturbance south of Papua New Guinea. The tropical disturbance was named Tropical Storm Alfred on February 22. Just two days later, Alfred intensified to a Category 1 cyclone due to warm sea surface temperatures (84–86°F) and low to moderate wind shear. On February 26, wind shear relaxed and rapid intensification ensued, causing Alfred to reach its first peak as a Category 3 major cyclone. Afterward, an eyewall replacement cycle (EWRC) proceeded, the process where a weakening inner eyewall is replaced by a new, stronger outer eyewall. The EWRC ended on the next day, allowing Alfred to reach its main peak as a powerful high-end Category 3 major cyclone. Shortly afterward, increasing wind shear degraded the storm's core. On March 3, Alfred unofficially degenerated to a remnant low as it headed south, but still produced strong gales. Despite being a remnant low, Alfred increased its size so much after the EWRC that its waves impacted southeastern Australia for several days. The large cyclone regenerated to a tropical storm on March 5, and continued its erratic track by heading west toward southeastern Australia. Alfred made landfall on Moreton Island, Australia on March 7 and the cyclone dissipated the next day.
Impacts
Alfred's endless large swells and storm surge hammered southeastern Australia, resulting in widespread coastal erosion and inundation. The Gold Coast beaches lost an enormous 6 million cubic meters of sand. Coastal areas in Brisbane and the Gold Coast recorded wind gusts exceeding 100 km/h (~62 mph), such as Gold Coast Seaway recording a strong 107 km/h (~66 mph) wind gust. Over 300,000 homes and businesses were left without power. According to the CAT Resource Center, Brisbane and the Gold Coast measured 7-day rainfall totals of up to 600 mm (2 feet). Some suburbs exceeded a shocking 800 mm, or more than 2.5 feet, resulting in torrential flooding. Upper Springbrook recorded an overwhelming 1146 mm (~3.8 feet) of rain over a 7-day period! Also, Brisbane measured a huge total of 275.2 mm (11 inches) within 24 hours, the highest daily rainfall since Cyclone Wanda in 1974. Unfortunately, Cyclone Alfred caused >$820 million in damages, 1 fatality, and 39 injuries.
Relations to Climate Change
Climate change contributed to the exceptional snowfall in Hokkaido, Japan. The Meteorological Agency stated in a report that snow has increased by up to 10%. A group of scientists conducted weather simulations with and without climate change to determine that result. Global warming has been known to increase the volume of precipitation. As a result, atmospheric moisture and sea surface temperatures increase, intensifying the snowfall.
Multiple factors helped influence Cyclone Alfred's peculiar track. Climate change has caused ocean temperatures to warm, which may allow more cyclones to track further south and hit populated areas at a higher intensity. Intense rainfall events have become more frequent. Sea levels are continuing to rise, resulting in more severe storm surge and coastal flooding and erosion. Both the extreme snowfall in Japan and rainfall in Australia exemplify the consequences of climate change and a wetter atmosphere is going to fuel more intense natural disasters.
Conclusion
The exceptional snowfall in Hokkaido, Japan and the erratic Cyclone Alfred inching toward southeastern Australia highlight a troubling trend of the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. 4 feet of snow in just 12 hours in Obihiro is mind-boggling. Alfred causing several days of high swells and extensive coastal erosion show how unusually far south and how severe the damage was in southeastern Australia. These natural disasters demonstrate the demand for adaptive strategies to address the impacts of a changing climate. The future requires urgent action to mitigate further damage and build resilience in the face of these increasingly extreme weather patterns.
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