TOKYO, Dec 26 — Japan’s weather agency on Friday warned of powerful winds, blizzards and high waves in western, eastern and north-eastern Japan, with the possibility of lightning, tornadoes, avalanches and widespread traffic disruption, Kyodo News Agency reported.

Western Japan was forecast to be hit the same day, while eastern and north-eastern parts of the country were expected to see rough weather through Saturday under a strong winter pressure pattern, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

In the 24 hours through 6am Saturday, up to 80 centimetres of snow could fall in the Hokuriku region in central Japan, while the Tohoku region in north-eastern Japan could see up to 70 cm, the agency said.

There may be up to 60 cm of snow in the Kanto-Koshin region, including Tokyo, up to 50 cm in Hokkaido, the northernmost of Japan’s four main islands, and up to 40 cm in the Kinki region in western Japan, centred on Osaka, it added. — Bernama-Kyodo