Severe blizzards expected along Sea of Japan through Monday

Tokyo, Jan. 11 -- Japan's weather agency said that severe blizzards with strong winds are expected to hit areas along the Sea of Japan, as snow is forecast for a wide area from northern to southwestern Japan through Monday.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), a strong winter pressure pattern and a cold air mass are bringing snow to regions from Hokkaido through Kyushu, mainly along the Sea of Japan coast.

During the 24 hours through Monday morning, up to 80 centimeters of snow is predicted to fall in mountainous areas of the Tohoku region and the prefectures of Niigata and Gifu, 70 centimeters in the Hokuriku region, 60 centimeters in the Kinki region, 50 centimeters in the regions of Hokkaido, Kanto-Koshin and Chugoku, th...