Japanese weather officials are warning of heavy snow in areas along the Sea of Japan coast on Friday. Snow is also expected to accumulate in some parts along the Pacific in eastern and western Japan.

Temperatures have dropped below freezing in many places.

The Meteorological Agency says a winter pressure pattern has been weakening. But snow is falling on and off mainly in areas along the Sea of Japan coast from northern to western Japan.

During the three hours until 9 a.m. on Friday, Niigata City had a total of 9 centimeters of snow and Yawata in Kitahiroshima Town, Hiroshima Prefecture, had 7 centimeters.

The winter pressure pattern is expected to strengthen again through Saturday as a low pressure system near the Nansei Islands moves eastward accompanied by a front.

In the 24 hours through Saturday morning, the forecast for snowfall is 60 centimeters for Niigata Prefecture and the Hokuriku region, 50 centimeters for the Chugoku and Kansai regions, 40 centimeters for the Kanto-Koshin and Tokai regions, 15 centimeters for the Shikoku region and 5 centimeters for the northern Kyushu region.

In Tokyo's 23 wards, snow and rain are forecast on Friday afternoon and evening. Weather officials say snow may accumulate if temperatures fall more than expected.

The lows through Friday morning dipped to minus 29.4 degrees Celsius in Rikubetsu Town and minus 10.1 degrees in Sapporo City, both in Hokkaido. The low was minus 4.4 degrees in Sendai City and 1.5 degrees in central Tokyo.

Weather officials are calling on people to be careful of possible disruptions to transportation due to heavy snow and frozen roads. They are also advising caution against possible avalanches, lightning strikes, gusty winds and power outages due to snow.