History and Faith of Mt.Fuji
Since ancient time,Mt.Fuji has been the object of ardent adoration.Mt.Fuji became an ascetic training field toward the end of the Heian era(11th-12th centuries).The first summit climb was reportedly made by a holy priest,Matsudai Shonin,in the middle of the 12thcentury.Ordinary people(limited to males)have climbed to the summit for worship since the 14thcentury.It was climbed by the warrior class(samurai)in the 16th century and by a religious group named Fuji-ko in the late 18th and early 19th centrys.The Buddhist images built on the summit were completely destroyed in 1868 by an anti-Buddhist movement.Woman have been allowed to climb to the summit since the annually.There are several legends and tales about Mt.Fuji's summit,such as En-no-Gyozya and Taketori.
The Weather of Mt.Fuji
The average air pressure on Mt.Fuji's summit is 638hPa,which is two-thirds that of level.Mt.Fuji is an isolated cone-shaped peak at 3776m(12,380ft)above sea level.The weather changes drastically and the wind directions shift temporally and apatially.A cumulus(Cu)cloud rising from the base the summit in the summer is an indication of thunderstorms.When strong,cold air reaches the upper levels in summer and the summit temperature drops below 5C,thunderstorms tend to from around noon.In the wintertime,Mt,Fuji weather conditions are extremely harsh.The maximum average temperatures at the summit are -15C(5F)and -22(-8F),respectively.The average wind speed is 20 to 30 m/s(45 to 67mph)with a 50% increase at the ridgeline.Mt,Fuji has heavy snowfall when low pressure systems pass in the winter.The forest reduces wind speeds below the 5th Station,but they suddenly and drastically increase above timberline.The relative temperrature falls by 1.0C with every increase of 1.0m/s(1.8F per 2.2mph)in wind speed.A floating lenticular cloud is an indicator of strong winds.