On February 5, 2026, MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on NASA’s Terra satellite obtained this image of snow-covered landscapes in Hokkaido. With more than 31 active volcanoes, the island has several large caldera lakes, including at least five lakes visible in the image. (Calderas are large depressions formed by volcanic eruptions.) To the east, wild wind gusts form a checkerboard pattern around Nakashibetsu, while to the north, eddies of drifting sea ice grace the Sea of Okhotsk.
Northern Japan, especially the island of Hokkaido, is home to some of the snowiest cities in the world. However, despite the region’s familiarity with heavy snowfall, the start of winter 2026 has been disruptive. A series of intense storms in January and February repeatedly paralyzed transportation systems, closing airports, jamming roads and suspending trains.
Read more about sea ice and blizzards in Japan.
Text credit: Adam Voiland
Image Credit: Michaela Garrison, using MODIS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE and GIBS/Worldview
