Motorists stranded and tens of thousands of homes without power after spectacular blizzard

Japan suffered a spectacular blizzard late last week, during which 1,000 vehicles were trapped on a single highway for two days. More than 2 metres of snow fell over the city of Fujiwara over the course of three days, setting an all-time record for snow depth, with many neighbouring locations also seeing record-breaking depths. Local authorities had to distribute blankets and food to stranded motorists, with many still stuck at the weekend. Ten thousand homes also lost power as a result of the storm.

Winter has also taken a swipe on the other side of the Pacific, with swathes of the north-eastern US being blanketed in deep snow. Parts of New York state had up to 1 metre of snow, with 25cm in New York City’s Central Park by Thursday morning. Neighbouring Pennsylvania was also badly hit, with a pileup consisting of dozens of vehicles claiming the lives of two people.