Yokohama Snow, c. 1910.

“Snow scene”, Yokohama Park, Yokohama, c. 1910.

SNOW STORM IN YOKOHAMA

“Such heavy snow as fell in Yokohama, Tokyo, and surrounding districts on the night of the 8th inst. has not been seen in the month of April for many years past. The storm began in Yokohama about 8 p.m. on April 8th and on the following day the fall continued, though sleet and rain took the place of the snow as time wore on.

“At 7.50 p.m. snow began to fall slightly. At the same time, the barometrical pressure recorded 772 mill., which is rare at the present season, and the temperature was 30°F. The wind was N.N.W. and became stronger after midnight. The quantity of snow which fell during the period from 8 p.m. on Wednesday to 10 a.m. on the following day was 62-1/2 mm which represents in melted water about 2-1/2 inches [~10 inches of snow]. At 7 p.m. on Thursday, the thermometer recorded 9° below freezing point [21°F].

“… Considerable damage has been caused in the harbour and on land by the heavy snow of Wednesday night and Thursday morning, which had the effect of stopping shipping traffic during the whole day … Serious damage appears to have been caused on land. In Yokohama the telephone, telegraph and electric wires are down in many places in Yamashita-cho, on the Bluff and in outlying districts, and in not a few cases the poles bearing the wires have quite collapsed. Costly trees and plants in grounds on the Bluff have collapsed under the combined pressure of the gale and the snow and sleet.

“On the Yokohama Electric Railway and and on the Keihin Electric Railway traffic was stopped at an early hour on Thursday owing to the depth of snow on the lines and the debris of wires and poles. On the Tokaido, trains did not run between Tokyo and Yokohama, and between Yokohama and Ya point on this side of Hakone, till the after noon. Many telegraph and telephone poles fell on the lines and the wires strewed the permanent way. A large staff of coolies are at work on repairs but the storm continued with such violence till long past noon as to preclude effective effort on their part. Of course the stoppage of wires cut off the electric light supply. Telephone and telegraph communication between Yokohama and Tokyo was practically at a standstill during Thursday.

“… Heavy hail fell in Yokohama on April 11th last year but weather observers declare that such a late fall of snow is phenomenal, except for a slight fall on April 12, 1902.”

– Japan Weekly Mail, April 11, 1908