【精英翻譯】的部落格

Sapporo snow fest organizers fretting over very low snowfall

降雪量非常低 札幌雪祭主辦單位很傷腦筋

精英翻譯社轉自https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1347995

The one thing this northern city is normally not short of at this time of year is snow, lots of it.

這座（日本）北方城市每年此時通常最不虞匱乏的一樣東西，就是雪，而且會有很多雪。

But just 54 centimeters fell in December in Sapporo, 41 percent of average, causing alarm bells to ring for organizers of the 71st Sapporo Snow Festival, which starts Feb. 4 and draws many visitors from overseas.

但札幌（去年）12月的降雪僅54公分，為平均值的41%，讓2月4日揭幕、吸引許多海外遊客的第71屆札幌雪祭的主辦單位警覺大事不妙。

Ski resorts in Sapporo have also had to scale back their activities, and festival organizers are struggling to secure sufficient snow to ensure that there will be the usual range of magnificent ice sculptures.

（降雪量稀少讓）札幌的各滑雪場也得縮減營業，雪祭主辦單位則努力設法取得足夠雪量，以保障能與往年一樣有一整排壯觀的雪雕。

At a ceremony held Jan. 7 to haul in snow to Odori Park, the main venue, Ryu Shibata, president of the organizing committee, tried to put on a brave face, saying, "We are determined to overcome difficulties and make the festival a success."

1月7日在雪祭主會場大通公園舉行的一場輸雪典禮上，企圖強裝不在乎雪少困境的雪祭

執委會會長柴田龍說，「我們決心要克服困難，把雪祭辦成功。」

December’s snowfall was below the monthly average at all major 22 observation points in Hokkaido, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency’s Sapporo Regional Headquarters.

根據日本氣象廳札幌管區氣象台，北海道全部22個主要觀測點在（去年）12月的降雪量，都低於月平均值。