"Snow Monsters" Of Zao Appear As Weather Turns Favourable

YAMAGATA, JAPAN - FEBRUARY 13: A tourist walks near snow-covered trees, known as "snow monsters" or "Juhyo" in Japanese, on Mount Zao on February 13, 2024 in Yamagata, Japan. The area is one of the few places globally where the right combination of snow, strong winds, and low temperatures traps trees in layers of snow and ice, forming the unique shapes of snow-covered trees. Researchers reported last year that the distribution range of the "snow monsters" is shrinking due to global warming. (Photo by Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images)