Journal of the Japanese Society of Snow and Ice

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The influence of snow cover on the subalpine ecosystem of Mt. Fuji (3776m a.s.l.) has been long recognized, but data on snow conditions are largely lacking. Therefore, we observed the annual maximum snow depth (SDmax) at 100m intervals at elevations from 1600 to 2500m a.s.l. on slopes with four exposures during the winter seasons from 1999 to 2014. We calculated the SDmax over sixteen seasons in three ecological zones: the lower subalpine zone (1600-2000m a.s.l.), the upper subalpine zone (2100-2400m a.s.l.), and the forest limit zone (2500m a.s.l.). The respective calculation results were 85 cm, 152 cm, and 344cm for the eastern slope; 44 cm, 102 cm, and 259cm for the southern slope; 68 cm, 90 cm, and 109cm for the northern slope; and 21 cm, 36 cm, and 54cm for the western slope. SDmax showed a linear correlation with elevation; however, the ratios of the increase in SDmax to the altitude varied by slope direction. SDmax near the forest limit greatly varied due to imbalances in wind-induced snow movement on the slopes. The snow cover period at 2220m a.s.l. on the northern slope, estimated from ground surface temperatures during the winter seasons from 2002 to 2014, was 135.7±21.9 days (mean±SD, 111-181 days) per year. The results indicate that snow conditions widely fluctuate with slope direction, altitudinal gradient, and year, and further research is needed to clarify the snow‒ecosystem relationships.

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