While autumn foliage remained in Sapporo, snow accumulated over the weekend in the capital of Japan’s northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido, quickly shifting to winter.

On the morning of November 9, the temperature dropped to minus 10.4 degrees Celsius in Hokkaido’s Rikubetsu, the lowest so far in Japan this season.

Central Tokyo also dropped to 8.4 degrees Celsius, its first single-digit temperature this winter.

Daytime highs are expected to be at levels typical of December in Sapporo and Sendai, while Tokyo is likely to experience January-like temperatures due to cold rain.

People are urged to take care of their health as the arrival of the winter chill has been sudden.

On November 7, central Sapporo experienced the first snow accumulation of the season as a winter pressure pattern strengthened across northern Japan.

Snowfall and winds were strong, particularly along the Sea of Japan coast of Hokkaido.

Sapporo recorded up to 10 centimeters of snow accumulation on flat ground.

S/ Visitor from Hyogo Prefecture / It’s your first time seeing snow, huh.

S/ Visitor from Hyogo Prefecture / You were so excited seeing it.

S/ Visitor from Hyogo Prefecture / It suddenly turned so cold today that we can’t walk around without a down jacket.

Strong winds were reported across many areas.

At Cape Erimo, a maximum instantaneous wind speed of 45 meters per second was recorded shortly after 6 p.m. on November 7.

In the town of Shiwa in Iwate Prefecture, scaffolding at a painting work site collapsed over a stretch of approximately 30 meters at around noon on November 7, crushing one vehicle. No injuries were reported.

Authorities believe strong winds caused the collapse as a maximum instantaneous wind speed of 25.6 meters per second was recorded in the area shortly before noon.