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Road state during the winter



We are going to present the road status along the snow season. These are examples of northern area of Sapporo. In Sapporo, it's not so cold like the other surrounding regions and it snows much less than the other surrounding regions. However, as many of us live in Sapporo, we know the road state in Sapporo better than the other regions. So we're going to give you some information on the road on the table below. However, the road state constantly changes. So the information below can be often different from the real state. It depends on day and year. There are days or years where you have less precipitation and more precipitation, the temperature is higher and lower. Sometimes there is no snow on the road even in January. Such unusual phenomenon can happen. So you can refer to this information but you shouldn't take them 100 percent on trust.

And you should know that the sunlight has much more influence on the snow condition than the atmospheric temperature. The snow is well known as a substance reflecting the visible ray and the ultraviolet. However, the snow's behaviour is completely different with the infrared. The snow absorbs the infrared and radiates it. This fact brings about that the snow melts fast if the sunlight is strong enough even the temperature is low. So the snow is most stable in the period close to the winter solstice. The snow season far from the winter solstice, like March, the temperature is still low but the sunlight is so strong that the snow will be gone in a very short time after precipitations.

*This information is based on that of the late 1990s. Recently we have less snow since the snow on roads removal technique progressed.





Period Roads with light traffic Busy roads Trunk roads Roads at high altitude (500m)
Beginning of November Roads are rarely snow covered. They are snow covered only after a precipitation. Almost days you can ride road bikes. Roads are rarely snow covered. They are snow covered only after a precipitation. Almost days you can ride road bikes. Roads are rarely snow covered. They are snow covered only after a precipitation. Almost days you can ride road bikes. Roads are rarely snow covered. They are snow covered only after a precipitation. Almost days you can ride road bikes.
Middle of November Sometimes the snow stays long time after a precipitation of large quantity. You sometimes need studded tires even in the daytime. Sometimes the snow stays long time after a precipitation of large quantity. You can ride road bikes almost days in the daytime. Sometimes the snow stays long time after a precipitation of large quantity. You can ride road bikes almost days in the daytime. Sometimes the snow stays long time after a precipitation of large quantity. You sometimes need studded tires even in the daytime.
End of November - Middle of December Sometimes the snow stays long time after a precipitation. You need almost days studded tires. Sometimes the snow stays long time after a precipitation. You need almost days studded tires but sometimes you can ride road bikes in the daytime. Sometimes the snow stays long time after a precipitation. You need almost days studded tires but sometimes you can ride road bikes in the daytime. Roads are completely covered with snow or ice. You need studded tires all the time.
End of December - Middle of February Roads are completely covered with snow or ice. You need studded tires. Roads are completely covered with snow or ice. You need studded tires. However, sometimes the snow on the roads disappears if there is no precipitation. Roads are completely covered with snow or ice. You need studded tires. However, sometimes the snow on the roads disappears if there is no precipitation. Roads are completely covered with snow or ice. You need studded tires.
End of February - Beginning of March Roads are completely covered with snow or ice. You need studded tires. In the morning and at night, roads are covered with snow. But in the daytime, you can sometimes ride road bikes. In the morning and at night, roads are covered with snow. But almost days in the daytime, you can ride road bikes. Roads are covered with snow or ice. You need studded tires. But if there is heavy traffic, the snow will be gone in the daytime even at this altitude.
Middle of March In the morning and at night, roads are covered with snow. But in the daytime, you can sometimes ride road bikes. In the morning and at night after a precipitation, roads are covered with snow. But in the daytime, you can ride road bikes. In the morning and at night after a precipitation, roads are covered with snow. But in the daytime, you can ride road bikes. Roads are sometimes covered with snow or ice. You need studded tires. But if there is heavy traffic, the snow will be gone in the daytime even at this altitude and you can ride road bikes.
End of March Roads are sometimes snow covered. But in the daytime, you can ride road bikes. Roads are rarely snow covered. You can ride road bikes in the day time. Roads are rarely snow covered. You can ride road bikes in the day time. Roads are sometimes covered with snow or ice. But in the daytime, sometimes you can ride road bikes. But if there is heavy traffic, there is rarely snow on the roads even at this altitude and you can ride road bikes in the daytime.



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