A brutal Arctic outbreak plunged northern Japan into turmoil Wednesday, with howling blizzards and record-low temperatures grinding transport to a halt. The hardest-hit zones—Hokkaido and Japan Sea shores—saw residents hunkered down as snow piled high and winds raged, severing vital rail and air links.

According to JR Hokkaido, relentless gusts and blinding snow flurries sidelined 50 trains from Tuesday onward. New Chitose Airport echoed with announcements of 82 scrapped flights and widespread delays, stranding thousands. Officials cautioned that whiteout perils and heavy drifts would linger until early Thursday, amplifying risks to roads, rails, and runways.

Weather outlooks paint a grim picture: southern Japan Sea coasts could see 35 m/s winds, while northern seas and Pacific fronts hit 30 m/s. Offshore, eastern Pacific and southern Okhotsk areas anticipate matching ferocity. Snowfall projections warn of 40 cm accumulations over the coming day in Japan Sea-bordering districts.

Echoing the chaos, China anticipates a prolonged cold snap over the next decade of days in Inner Mongolia and the northeast, featuring sharp temp drops, gales, and snow. Expect 2-5°C deficits from norms amid cold surges. Sandstorm alerts blanket Inner Mongolia and Gansu, with experts advising crop safeguards for northern wheat fields, bolstered greenhouses, and fortified animal enclosures to mitigate freeze damage.