On January 10, 2008, Junichi Masuda posted a blog entry urging players to play their Diamond or Pearl January 12. On that day, the same day as Masuda's birthday, a weather effect called diamond dust occurred in Snowpoint City, replacing the usual snow. It resembles glitter in the air. It is purely aesthetic, since it only occurs within the city where no battles are possible. It has been determined that other special weather conditions such as thunderstorms happen on predetermined days throughout the year.