Natural science Mount Fuji in Japan still without snow due to climate change

There was still no snow on the sacred Mount Fuji in Japan on Monday. Since records began 130 years ago, the white splendor of autumn has never been so long in coming. Mount Fuji, which is 3776 meters high, usually has snow from the beginning of October.

However, the high temperatures this year have obviously delayed this, said Yutaka Katsuta from the regional weather service. Last year, snow was first sighted on the sacred mountain on October 5. The latest date so far was October 26 - the date on which the first snow fell in 1955 and 2016.

Now, however, there was still no snow to be seen on Monday. This is the latest date since comparative data has been available since 1894. "Temperatures were high this summer, and these high temperatures continued into September, preventing cold air," said Katsuta.

The 3776-metre-high peak is covered in snow for most of the year. During the short summer season from early July to early September, many hikers crowd its steep, rocky slopes.

This year, the authorities levied a visitor fee of around 12 francs for the first time in the fight against overtourism. According to official figures, this led to a 14 percent drop in visitors: around 178,000 visitors ventured up the mountain, 22,000 fewer than in the previous year.

SDA