The temperature began to drop rapidly in the early evening, and the light rain that had been sprinkling in the afternoon turned to snow before I knew it. This is the first real snowfall in Sapporo this winter. The temperature is not forecast to rise for a few days, and it is expected to become the first “midwinter day” (a day when the maximum daily temperature is below freezing, according to the Japanese weather Bureau) this winter. The city and its residents seem to be already prepared for a harsh winter. Many scenes remain the same. Only the white snow continues to fall silently.
夕刻から急激に気温が下がり始め、午後にちらついていた小雨はいつの間にか雪に変わっていった。今冬初の、札幌市内での本格的な降雪だ。これから数日間はこのまま気温が上がらず、一日を通して氷点下が続く「真冬日」になる見込みだという。街も住民もすでに厳冬に備えているだろう。多くの光景は日常のまま。ただ、白い雪だけが無音で降り続いている。
©K. K. Yam