nagano typhoon 1

This past week marked the 19th typhoon of the season. Hitting Japan very soon after typhoon No. 18, Vongfong–which translates as “wasp” in Cantonese–battered the islands of Japan with incredibly heavy rains and strong winds.

While much of Japan suffered under the powerful force of nature, one prefecture remained virtually untouched, even while all of its neighbors took a beating. Find out why after the jump.

[tweet https://twitter.com/nhk2boys/status/390241307030872064 align=’center’]

Take a look at the picture, red means “warning” but what is that curious safe looking section surrounded by all the red? Why, that’s trusty old Nagano! For the second year in a row, Nagano has dodged these swirling masses of weather. The above tweet was about a typhoon in 2013 with the one below in 2014. What is possibly keeping the prefecture from harm? Is it as one Twitter user has speculated, “an AT Field produced by the hearts of all of those living there?”

[tweet https://twitter.com/Tamon_Hinosika/status/521522392024100864 align=’center’]

More likely though, it’s due to the geography of the region. The mountain range that lies to the south of Nagano provides a huge barrier that prevents storm systems from moving into the prefecture. The same mountains that give the region so much snow in the winter, gives them such wonderful fall weather, free of those dangerous typhoons.

While the rest of the country has likely had at least two typhoon days (no school, early closing for jobs to catch trains), the citizens of Nagano have had to endure normal lives in their serene valley. They will likely get some snow days in the winter to catch up with everyone else, as the light fluffy stuff seems to be attracted to that happy valley.

Source: attrip
Images: Flickr (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center)