Weekly Topics/Archive
February 2023 |
The day before yesterday, February 19 (Sunday), was one of the 24 solar
terms called
“Usui(Rain Water)” in Japan.
It is said to be the time when snow turns into rain and the snow begins
to melt.
The 24 solar terms mark the seasonal changes in Japan, and after Risshun
(Feb.4),
Usui (Feb.19) marks the transition period to Keichitsu (Mar.9), when the
season gradually
changes to spring, although it is still cold.
However, the seasons don't always progress according to the calendar,
do they?
I was surprised when I woke up this morning and opened my curtains.
The world outside was covered in white, and I couldn't even see Mt.Hiei,
which I usually
see behind the countryside.
[Note] 24 solar terms (24 divisions of the Japanese lunar calendar); 24節気
Risshun (the first day of Spring) ; 立春
Usui (the 2nd solar term around Feb.18, literally meaning “rain water”)
; 雨水
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| The silver world seen from my home (2023.02.21_07:09) |
When I went out to my garden to measure the amount of snowfall, I was
surprised to find
that the snow had piled up to just over 7 cm. Here in Kusatsu in the Omi
region, even if it
piled up in recent years, it was a maximum of 5 cm, so today's snowfall
is quite significant!
[Note] amount of snowfall ; 降雪量 (snowfall ; 降雪)、 pile up ; 積もる
significant ; 大幅な、著しい
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A little over 7 cm of snow piled up on the
gatepost (2023.02.21_07:18) |
Snow scene in our garden (2023.02.21_07:18) |
According to the TV weather forecast, it looks like we'll experience coldness
like
mid-winter all day today, and a wind and snow advisory is in effect for
this area.
Just to be sure, I checked the weather data on tenki.jp (Japan Weather
Association)
and it says that the Japanese archipelago has a winter-type pressure pattern
and
is under the influence of a cold air mass from the continent.
[Note] like mid-winter ; 真冬並みの、 wind and snow advisory ; 風雪注意報
be in effect ; 実施(発令)されている、効力がある、 just to be sure ; 念の為に
Japan Weather Association; 日本気象協会、 Japanese archipelago ; 日本列島
winter-type pressure pattern ; 冬型の気圧配置、 cold air mass ; 寒気団
weather map ; 天気図、 meteorological satellite ; 気象衛星
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Weather map of the Japanese archipelago
(2023.02.21_09:00) |
Meteorological satellite data for the Japanese
archipelago (2023.02.21_09:30) |
The photo below shows data from a rain cloud radar.
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Rain cloud rader image over Shiga Prefecture
(2023.02.21_09:45) |
Rain cloud rader image over the Japanese
archipelago (2023.02.21_09:45) |
Shiga Prefecture is covered by rain clouds that cause snow, and you can't
even see
Lake Biwa.
Looking at the entire Japanese archipelago, it must be snowing from the
Tohoku region
to the Sanin region along the Sea of Japan coast.
When I woke up this morning, it was lightly snowing, but now it's been coming down
steadily and silently.
Please take a look at the photo below.
[Note] Sea of Japan coast ; 日本海沿岸、 come down ; (雪・雨などが)降る
steadily and silently ; 絶え間なく静かに、こんこんと
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| Snow coming down steadily and silently (2023.02.21_10:36) |
I don't like the cold. I checked the 10-day weather forecast for Kusatsu
City.
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| The 10-day weather forecast for Kusatsu City (2023.02.21) |
It looks like a pattern of 3 cold days and 4 warm days will be repeated
hereafter,
and it will become much warmer from the end of February to early March.
I am looking forward to spring.
[Note] a pattern of 3 cold days and 4 warm days ; 三寒四温、 hereafter ; 今後
Japanese diary-2.archive.2023.02.21 / No.1113-2023.02.21 / 「突然の大雪」
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