Snow generally doesn’t fall in Tokyo before Christmas time, but this year the city has seen it’s first November snowfall since 1962.
Government agency official Sakiko Nishioka ensured people that this was not a permanent change to count on, but rather just a chance occurrence.
“Today’s snowfall and accumulation occurred because several elements came together at once by chance. It does not mean this can signal any unusual weather conditions this season such as a super cold winter.”
One news outlet reported that the snowfall was due to changes in atmospheric pressure known as the Arctic oscillation, which led to Arctic air leaving his normal route and bringing in colder than normal temperatures.
Generally, the temperature in November in Tokyo is between 48 and 59 degrees Fahrenheit, but on Thursday they had dropped to about 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
About 100 people were reportedly injured from slipping in the early snow.
