Mount Fuji remains snowless for longer than ever before

illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on BBC News or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Mount Fuji remains snowless later into the season than ever before, marking a record in 130 years of monitoring
• Normally, snowfall starts by early October, but unseasonably warm weather has left Japan’s highest peak bare

🔭 The context: Japan experienced a joint hottest summer on record, with temperatures between June and August averaging 1.76°C (3.1°F) above normal
• Warmer southerly winds, driven by a northward-shifted sub-tropical jet stream, have extended the unseasonal warmth into October

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: While this single snowless event can't be conclusively linked to climate change, it aligns with predictions of warmer global temperatures and shifting seasonal patterns, signaling potential long-term impacts on iconic natural sites

⏭️ What's next: As temperatures dip slightly in November, meteorologists watch for potential snowfall, but long-term trends suggest increasingly warmer and delayed winters could persist

💬 One quote: “Approaching November without snowfall marks the longest wait for a snowcap… since data was first collected in 1894” — Yutaka Katsuta, Kofu Local Meteorological Office

📈 One stat: Nearly 1,500 Japanese regions saw “extremely hot” days (≥35°C) last month

Click for more news covering the latest on climate change