A weather expert says heavy snowfall in Japan's northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido may become more frequent if global warming progresses.

Hokkaido has been having record snowfall this season, mainly in the Tokachi region. The prefecture also had heavy snow back in the winter season from late 2021 into early 2022. At the time, Sapporo City had a record 60 centimeters of snowfall over a 24-hour period.

A team led by Kawase Hiroaki of the government-run Meteorological Research Institute analyzed the impact of global warming. It compared simulations of snowfall in a climate that has gotten warmer and not gotten warmer after the Industrial Revolution.

The team found that the frequency of a "once-in-a-decade" level snowfall was 1.4 times higher in a warmer climate.

Researchers explained that higher seawater temperatures produce more vapor, and Hokkaido will experience more snow rather than rain because of its cold winters.

Kawase says simulations show that Hokkaido could have snow dumped on it once a year, or experience uncommonly heavy snow more often as global warming progresses. He is urging residents to be prepared for sudden heavy snow.