Weekly Japan Forecast – More Deep Powder Before the Weekend

Written Thursday morning, 16^th January (Japan Standard Time)

After another weekend full of fair-weather powder turns, snowfall returned to Japan on Tuesday, and resorts have since received another deep layer of powder in what has already been a bumper season so far – just check out what Reggae had to say in the latest World Snow Wrap that he posted on Monday. Hakuba Cortina is reporting a two-day total of 90cm, while Geto Kogen in Northern Honshu scored 98cm. On Hokkaido, Niseko has received up to 35cm and Furano around 25cm.

Snow will make way for Sunshine in Central Honshu today, Thursday, before the next storm rolls in tonight, bringing another round of heavy snowfall across the country. High pressure will then clear things up for another mild and mostly fine weekend, although Hokkaido will cop some wet, dense snowfalls later on Sunday. Monday to Wednesday will then bring just a dusting or light top-up, thanks to spurious snowfalls here and there as colder temperatures eventually creep back in.

Thursday 16^th & Friday 17^th January

Wednesday’s heavy snowfall has continued across Japan overnight, but has just shown signs of abating during these predawn hours of Thursday. Still, radar images show blotches of light to moderate rates of top-shelf snow is still coming in.

It will be a fantastic day for resorts in Central Honshu as the snow will clear fairly pronto this Thursday morning, with the sun even sneaking a look in.  These freezing west-northwest winds will turn a milder southwest due to a low-pressure system developing and tracking over the Sea of Japan. While snow will continue to fall farther north, it’ll clear the southern half of northern Honshu and central Hokkaido as winds tend southwest there as well later in the day.

Thursday night, the low will pass through the Tsugaru Strait between Honshu and Hokkaido, ushering in a fresh, strong wave of freezing west-northwest winds over the country along with heavy snowfall, especially for Honshu. The snow will gradually abate through Friday and possibly clear some resorts by the end of the day.

Saturday 18^th & Sunday 19^th January

High pressure builds over Japan on Saturday, allowing leftover snowfall to clear central Honshu Saturday morning and then northern Honshu and Hokkaido later in the day, with sunny skies breaking out at many resorts.

On Sunday, a mild southwest flow develops over the country, with a mix of sunshine and high clouds expected for resorts on Honshu. Resorts on Hokkaido will, at some point, see denser-than-usual snowfall, which could get quite heavy in some localised spots, as a frontal band develops and spreads over the area.

Monday 20^th to Wednesday 22^nd January

The dense snowfalls will clear Hokkaido early Monday as the frontal band weakens and drifts southwards. Dry, cold northerlies will take its place, bringing little snowfall except for the odd flurry here and there on Tuesday and more sunshine than cloud on Wednesday.

Mild and partly cloudy conditions continue for Honshu on Monday, although a low passing by on the Pacific side may bring a few light showers of rain and high-level snow to some resorts in Central Honshu.

The frontal band mentioned earlier will pass over Central Honshu at some point on Tuesday, bringing a brief period of moderate snowfall as snow levels drop before easing and then clearing on Wednesday. Northern Honshu will also see just light snow showers during this time as cooler west-northwest winds develop.

That’s all from me today, folks. Have a great week, and I’ll see you here next Thursday for another weekly rundown of Japan’s highlights and snowlights.

Grasshopper