Record-breaking snowfall fell on Japan’s northern main island of Hokkaido on Tuesday, disrupting traffic, causing airport closures and delaying deliveries

The Hokkaido prefectural government said record-breaking snowfall has been observed especially in the eastern regions of the island, including Obihiro and Kushiro, whose city offices received dozens of calls for help from drivers whose vehicles had stalled in the snow.

After almost cancelling a popular annual snow festival due to unseasonable January warmth, record-breaking snowfall has hit Japan’s northern main island of Hokkaido, disrupting traffic, causing airport closures and delaying deliveries.

Snow has hit wide areas of Japan since late Monday, February 3, as the “strongest cold front this season” arrived in the country, local news reported.According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, heavy snow and blizzard conditions from a “strong winter pressure pattern” were expected to continue through Thursday.

Heavy snowfall affected parts of Hokkaido from the night of Monday, February 3, into Tuesday, February 4. The Pacific side of Hokkaido recorded the highest snowfall on record in the country, with Obihiro receiving 120 centimeters of snow in just 12 hours on Tuesday.

An area of low pressure over the main island of Hokkaido in northern Japan caused record amounts of snow to fall in the region. There were considerable traffic disruptions and dozens of flight cancellations.