Stormy, Snowy Winter for Hokkaido
Northern Japan, especially the island of Hokkaido, is home to some of the snowiest cities in the world. Sapporo, the island’s largest city and host of an annual snow festival, typically sees more than 140 days of snowfall, with nearly 6 meters (20 feet) accumulating on average each year. Michala Garrison, using MODIS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE and GIBS/Worldview On February 5, 2026, the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired this image of snow-covered landscapes across Hokkaido. With more than 31 active volcanoes, the island features several large caldera lakes, including at least five that are visible in the image. (Calderas are large depressions formed by volcanic eruptions.) In the east, forested windbreaks around Nakashibetsu form a checkerboard pattern , while to the north, swirls of drifting sea ice adorn the Sea of Okhotsk. Northern Japan, especially the island of Hokkaido, is h...
