The Grasshopper – The Latest Snow Forecast

Australian Forecast – A Warm, Sunny End to the Week After a Wet & Soggy Start

Published early Wednesday, 15^th July 2026

It’s been a wild and woolly few days. We were looking good after the storm first rolled in and dumped 10-20cm overnight Saturday, followed by another 10cm or so on Sunday. However, snow levels crept up Sunday night, and it’s been wet and soggy on the lower slopes since, with snow levels mostly sitting above 1700m. Still, high altitudes had 5-10cm of new, dense snow by Tuesday morning, and Perisher’s Snow Stake has had another 5cm on it since then.

The storm has now cleared, and temperatures are well and truly freezing at the time of writing in these early hours of Wednesday. Snowcams show the snow guns are firing, repairing the damage of the last couple of days.

High pressure now moves in to settle things down for a nice, sunny end to the week. Temperatures will be positively balmy from Thursday onwards, with daytime highs getting into double digits, but it should still get cold enough for some snowmaking overnight Wednesday and Thursday, particularly in New South Wales.

Wednesday 15^th July

A mostly sunny day as strong south-to-southwest winds ease, although Mt Baw Baw will be stuck in the clouds. Chilly snowmaking temps in New South Wales morning and night.

Thursday 16^th July

A mint, sunny day, and a surprisingly warm one with light southerly breezes. Mt Baw Baw will be cloudy again. Chilly snowmaking temps again in New South Wales morning and night.

Friday 17^th July

Another warm, sunny day with a light southerly breeze.

Saturday 18^th July

Clear, calm and warm. An absolute stunner!

Sunday 19^th July

Sunny and warm again, with a northwest breeze developing.

Extended Forecast

The back half of next week, from Wednesday the 22^nd of July onwards, a couple of weak storm systems are likely to brush past us, with only light upper-level snow on the cards at this stage. It’s not the forecast we’re after right now, so hopefully it doesn’t hold.

That’s all from me today, folks. I’m firing out these forecasts every Monday, Wednesday and Friday throughout the season, and an extra update on Sundays during peak season. Have a great couple of days, and I’ll see you back here on Friday.

Grasshopper

New Zealand Forecast –  Southern Lakes to Capitalise on Weak Fronts

Published early Wednesday, 15^th July 2026

It’s been a stormy start to the week that brought a mix of rain, snow and strong northwest winds to the country on Monday and Tuesday. Through it all, the Southern Lakes ski fields received decent snowfall at upper elevations. The Remarkables reported 20cm Tuesday morning, Cardrona 8cm, and Treble Cone 10cm, while more fell during the day. Coronet Peak didn’t report any new snow, being at a lower elevation, while Canterbury ski fields were forced to take a couple of days off due to gale-force winds. Mt Ruapehu also received a dusting early Tuesday, with Turoa reporting 5cm.

The Southern Lakes will pick up another 2-5cm during Wednesday and early Thursday as a pair of weak fronts moving up the country give the region a couple of dustings. Canterbury will only see a little snow about the tops at some ski fields on Wednesday, and will be hit with strong northwesterlies again. Mt Ruapehu will also receive a little snow up high on Thursday.

Then on Saturday, a weak and sluggish cold southerly change will bring more snow to the South Island. Exactly how much snow will fall is still up in the air, but we could see anywhere from a dusting up to 15cm for the Southern Lakes, and up to 10cm for Canterbury, plus a good chance for the snow guns to get a good run.

Wednesday 15^th July

A weak storm system crossing the South Island will give the Southern Lakes a dusting of a couple of centimetres from light snowfalls during the morning and early afternoon. Clouds will then break up for a brighter end to the day. Chilly northwest winds.

Northwest winds will strengthen in Canterbury, likely reaching gale force in exposed areas, which may affect lift ops again, as rain spreads over the region in the afternoon. Some snow will fall about the tops at ski fields closest to the Main Divide, whereas Mt Hutt will just see some light rain showers. The precip clears from the south during the evening.

Mt Ruapehu will be mostly cloudy with a few spots of drizzle in the afternoon and westerly winds.

Thursday 16^th July

A mostly fine day for South Island ski fields as brisk westerly winds turn southwest. However, a weak front passing by will give the Southern Lakes a dusting of up to a couple of centimetres of snow before dawn and throw some cloud over Canterbury early in the morning.

A weak front also passes over Mt Ruapehu, bringing light rain and drizzle throughout the day, falling as snow to around 2000m. Moderate westerly winds turn southwest late afternoon as the rain clears.

Friday 17^th July

A mostly fine day across Kiwi ski fields with west-to-northwest winds. There’ll just be a little cloud over the Southern Lakes, and clouds may affect the lower slopes of Mt Ruapehu.

Saturday 18^th July

A cold front slowly moves over the Southern Lakes, bringing snowfall throughout the day. Ski fields could see anywhere from a couple of centimetres up to 15cm of fresh snow. Brisk westerly winds gradually ease before turning to a light southerly late in the day as the snow clears.

Canterbury will start fine, but clouds will gradually build during the day before the front crosses the region during the evening and overnight. Again, ski fields here could see anywhere between 1 and 10cm of fresh snow. Stiff west-to-northwest winds turn to a light, cold southerly behind the front.

Moderate westerlies continue for Mt Ruapehu, bringing cloud and drizzle, especially about the mid and lower slopes.

Sunday 19^th July

It’ll be nice and cold over the South Island with light winds. Southern Lakes ski fields should sit above a deck of cloud in clear air, while Canterbury fields will be thick amongst it, with the odd snow flurry possible.

Mt Ruapehu will be fine with light winds, although there’ll be some afternoon cloud.

Extended Forecast

South Island ski fields, particularly Canterbury, could receive a shot of snow on Monday, the 20^th, as another weak storm system passes by.

We’ll then see mostly fine weather across the country for the rest of the working week as a ridge of high pressure parks up over the North Island while northwesterlies blow over the South Island.

The next storm is possible next weekend, the 25^th and 26^th July. It’s still a long way off, and models aren’t well aligned, but at this stage there’s potential for cold temperatures and a top-up of powder.

That’s all from me today, folks. I’m sending out NZ forecasts every Monday, Wednesday and Friday throughout the season. Have a great couple of days, and I’ll see you back here on Friday.

Grasshopper

Weekly Japan Forecast – A Better Week Ahead With More Snow & Colder Temps

Written late Wednesday, 4^th March (Japan Standard Time)

Well folks, this will be my final forecast for the 2025–2026 Japanese snow season. It’s been a solid month of limited snowfall and unseasonably warm temperatures across Japan, with the past seven days in particular delivering very little fresh snow. After an epic January and early February, the Japow machine has largely switched off, and we’ve seen considerable snow loss as a result.

However, the next seven days look far more promising, with a few decent rounds of powder and cold temps on the way. Thursday, Sunday and Tuesday are shaping up as the standout days, with the bulk of the snowfall expected then. There are still a few weeks left in the season, and spring skiing brings warmer temperatures, longer days and more sunshine. It’s my personal favourite, so get amongst it! 

Thursday 5^th & Friday 6^th March

Thursday will be a powder day of sorts as remaining snowfall across the country gradually dries up. This comes after a storm from the southwest arrived late Tuesday, bringing warm temperatures and rain at first. Temperatures were quick to drop over Northern Honshu and Hokkaido, so there was fresh snow in this Wednesday morning’s reports. However, it was not your usual “lake-effect” Japow; it was denser, maritime snow coming off the Pacific Ocean, akin to what we get in Australia and NZ. As I put pen to paper, snow levels over Central Honshu are also on their way down from the mid-slopes and will get nice and low this Wednesday night.

Friday will stay mostly dry, but there’ll be some isolated flurries lingering on Hokkaido. Temperatures will rocket back up on Honshu as warm southerlies develop ahead of the next storm approaching from the west in the Sea of Japan. Rain from this storm spreads across the country Friday night, falling as snow to fairly low levels on Hokkaido, where temperatures will be much colder.

Saturday 7^th February & Sunday 8^th March

The storm will continue over the country throughout Saturday and Sunday morning, then gradually wind down during the latter half of Sunday. Snow levels about the mid-to-upper slopes of Honshu will gradually lower to base levels by late Saturday, while on Hokkaido, they’ll have to climb over a hill before a period of heavy snowfall to near sea level early Sunday.

Snowfall totals for the weekend are expected to be around 20-50+ cm, with resorts in Niigata and southwest Hokkaido favoured for the deepest totals.

Monday 9^th to Wednesday 11^th March

Leftover snow showers over northern Honshu will clear up Monday morning, but will persist on Hokkaido.

Central Honshu will stay dry on Monday, but another low-pressure system passing on the Pacific side will pull in a fresh surge of cold air from Monday night, bringing another round of snow for a 10-30+ cm powder day on Tuesday. The passing low will also bring a dusting to northern Honshu and Hokkaido on Tuesday.

A ridge of high pressure will then bring dry, settled weather next Wednesday.

That’s all from me today, and for the season. It’s been a real pleasure bringing you all the snowlights of the 2025-2026 season, which will go down in the history books as having one of the best runs of powder days from Jan through early Feb. See you in June when the Aussie and Kiwi seasons get underway.

Grasshopper

Weekly North America Forecast – Temps Fluctuate as Storms Favour the North

Written Wednesday, 5^th March (Pacific Standard Time)

Well, guys and gals, this will be my final forecast for the 2025-2026 North American snow season. It’s been a funny ol’ season that saw some Canadian resorts cranking through December with near-endless snowfall, followed by a long, warm, dry spell, which US resorts in particular suffered from as high-pressure took over the West, while the East went into a storm-laden deep freeze.

Storms returned to the West mid Feb, and resorts have had a great few weeks as snowpacks have bounced back. At present, snowpacks in the northern half of the Rockies, from Canada and Alberta down to Wyoming and Idaho, are sitting at or above their long-term median, highlighting where conditions have been the best this season.

Storms will once again favour the north in the upcoming seven-day period, although snow quality and snow levels will fluctuate as warm and cold airmasses are dragged in with each storm system. The central and northern US Rockies will also receive a nice round of powder at the start of this period (Thursday and Friday), before settled high pressure then takes hold over the central and southern US.

Thursday 5^th & Friday 6^th March

A storm that arrived in the northwest on Wednesday will continue tracking southeast through the US Rockies on Thursday before exiting late Friday. The storm, which started wet and warm, will see snow levels drop as a cold front now leads the charge. Snowfall will favour northern Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and Utah on Thursday and then Colorado on Friday. Totals will mostly range between 15-40cm in the central and northern US Rockies, with 40-50+cm possible in the most exposed terrain, particularly in Montana.

Leftover snow showers will give BC and the Cascades a further dusting before the storm exits the area on Thursday. But a new storm entering the northwest from late Thursday through Friday will bring a mix of rain and dense snow as a warm, humid air flows in from the Pacific. The bulk of this will fall in northern BC, with only light falls in southern BC, where most resorts are located.

Having received a few showers on Wednesday, Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada will stay dry for Thursday and Friday, while Arizona and New Mexico will only get a light dusting in their northern parts.

Saturday 7^th & Sunday 8^th March

This weekend, all the action will take place in the north. The warm storm that arrives here on Friday will become colder on Sunday as a cold front pushes down from the north. Once the cold front hits, snow levels will drop, and snow quality will improve.

Interior BC, the northern Cascades, and to a lesser extent, Alberta, will be favoured for the biggest accumulations of this quality powder during the latter half of Sunday, while Idaho, Montana and Wyoming will also see snow developing ahead of the cold front on the warm side of the storm.

Monday 9^th to Wednesday 11^th March

Most of the action continues in the north during this period, with the cold front pushing down into southern Idaho and Wyoming during Monday, where it’ll stall for a while. Areas north of this will be treated to light-to-moderate falls of smoky powder on Monday and Tuesday.

But on Wednesday, temperatures and snow levels will rocket up as a new, warmer storm enters the fray, bringing heavy low-to-mid-level rain and upper-level snow. The northern Cascades, in particular, are expected to get nailed. Thankfully, this injection of warm, humid air will be short-lived, and by the end of the day (Wednesday), temperatures will be hastily making their way down.

In the south, a weaker storm system will track over Arizona and New Mexico on Monday and Tuesday. Temperatures will be warm, so it’ll be a mix of rain and snow for resorts there. If we’re lucky, some resorts could see moderate accumulations on their upper slopes.

That’s all from me today, and for the season. It’s been a blast and a pleasure being a part of it all. See you all in June when the Aussie and Kiwi seasons get underway.

Grasshopper