Japan’s famous Mount Fuji has remained snow-free well into autumn this year, a phenomenon that hasn’t occurred since record-keeping began 130 years ago.

Normally, Japan’s tallest mountain is snow-covered by mid-October, marking the arrival of winter. However, this year, milder temperatures have kept Mount Fuji clear of snow, surpassing the previous record for the latest snowfall, which was set on 26 October 1955 and matched in 2016.

Meteorologists from the Kofu Local Meteorological Office, located approximately 40 km from Mount Fuji, have confirmed that unusually high temperatures have caused a delay in the first snowfall.

They announce the first snowcap of the season as soon as it becomes visible from their observation point, a tradition that has been followed for over a century.

While seasonal weather fluctuations occasionally cause delays, officials attribute this year’s particularly late snowfall to ongoing climate trends that have raised average autumn temperatures in recent decades.

The delayed snowfall on Mount Fuji reflects a global pattern of unpredictable seasonal shifts caused by the climate crisis. Longer summers are affecting both snow cover and precipitation. In fact, 2024 is expected to be the hottest year on record worldwide for the second consecutive year.