The Grasshopper – The Latest Snow Forecast

Australian Forecast – Perisher Holds the Fort with a Skiff, Snowmaking & Blue Skies Ahead

Published early Monday, 14^th September 2026

And then there was one. Thredbo pulled the pin on its season yesterday, leaving Perisher as the last resort standing in what has been one heck of a lean Australian snow season.

After such a run of mint weather, it’ll be an ordinary start to the week, with cloud and drizzle today, Monday, before Mother Nature gives us a little toe-up as a cold change sweeps through late Tuesday. Only a skiff of 1-2cm or less of snow is expected.

Skies turn blue again on Wednesday once the morning cloud clears, with Thursday and Friday lined up to be absolute stunners. So get out there and enjoy the last scraps of the season.

Monday 14^th September

A mostly cloudy day with a few drizzly showers as a stiff northwester gradually backs off.

Tuesday 14^th September

Another fairly cloudy day with a few light showers becoming more persistent for a time late afternoon and early evening while turning to snow as west-to-northwest winds change to a stronger, colder southwest. The snow clears later in the evening, leaving only a skiff of 1-2 cm or less.

Wednesday 15^th September

Strong, cold southerlies will push in some morning cloud, while snow flurries to the south won’t quite reach Perisher. Skies will then clear for a mint afternoon.

Thursday 16^th September

A blue dome corker as the southerly breeze gradually eases while turning southwest.

Friday 15^th September

Another beautiful, clear sunny day as the light southwest breeze gradually turns northwest.

Extended Forecast

Warm, mostly fine and dry weather looks set to stick around this weekend, the 19th and 20th, and through to the middle of next week. A weak front brushing past to the south will likely crank up strong hair-dryer northwesterlies from late Saturday into Sunday, which won’t do Perisher’s dwindling snowpack any favours

More active weather looks likely from around Friday the 25th onwards, but at this stage it appears to be the wet variety.

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

Grasshopper

New Zealand Forecast –  Wax the Powder Skis, Another Big Spring Dump Incoming For the South Midweek

Published early Monday, 14^th September 2026

A cracking spring storm is lining up for the South Island this week, with 20-40+cm of fresh powder on the cards and what could be one of the better powder days we’ve seen lately.

First up, Monday and Tuesday will be mostly fine, giving us a couple of decent days on the slopes before things turn wild and woolly. A slow-moving front rolls onto the lower South Island early Wednesday, with rain and high-level snow gradually turning to widespread snowfall as cold southerlies creep north. By Thursday, the Southern Lakes should wake to 20-40+cm of freshies and clearing skies, with Canterbury following suit later in the day. Wax the powder skis, it’s going to be epic!

There’s more to come Friday as another cold change sweeps north, bringing a smaller top-up, particularly around Mt Hutt and farther north. Mt Ruapehu largely misses the midweek powder, but its turn comes Friday night after a soaking during the day, with rain turning to snow as colder southerlies pile in behind a low-pressure system.

Monday 14^th September

Fine across the South Island with some high cloud. Westerly winds for the Southern Lakes and southwest breezes in Canterbury gradually die away.

Mt Ruapehu will have just a little afternoon cloud in an otherwise perfectly sunny day, with a light southwest breeze.

Tuesday 15^th September

A mostly fine day for the South Island, but strengthening northwest winds will see clouds start to build later in the afternoon.

Mt Ruapehu stays clear and sunny, with a light southwest breeze.

Wednesday 16^th September

A slow-moving front moves onto the lower South Island during the wee hours before dawn, spreading rain and upper-level snow over the Southern Lakes and up the Main Divide. A light but cold southerly then creeps over the Southern Lakes later in the morning, lowering snow to base levels and keeping the slopes topped up with fresh powder through the rest of the day and into the night.

In Canterbury, rain and high-level snow will spill over from the Main Divide throughout the day, while gale northwesterlies back off during the afternoon. The cold southerly then pushes up the region after dark, bringing widespread snowfall down to low levels.

Another nice, sun-filled day for Mt Ruapehu as light westerlies turn northwest.

Thursday 17^th September

South Island ski fields are in for a cracking powder day, with storm totals of 20-40+cm expected once it all clears. Snow clears the Southern Lakes during the morning as light southerlies swing southwest, revealing clear, sunny skies. The clearing then gradually works its way north through Canterbury, starting with the Mackenzie area during the afternoon before pushing farther north after dark. Wax the powder skis because this is one powder day you won’t want to miss!

A mostly cloudy day for Mt Ruapehu with drizzly showers becoming more persistent later in the day, and a stiff northwester.

Friday 18^th September

South Island ski fields will score another little top-up of powder as a strong, cold south-to-southwest change sweeps northwards. The change crosses the Southern Lakes during the morning before reaching Canterbury later in the afternoon or evening, bringing another round of snow showers. Snowfall will be a little heavier and more persistent around Mt Hutt and areas farther north, where around 2-5cm could pile up.

Mt Ruapehu will cop it as a low-pressure system rolling over the North Island brings heavy rain through much of the day. Strong northeasterlies ease before southerlies crank up later, with rain turning to snow overnight as colder air piles in.

Extended Forecast

Mt Ruapehu will be left with a fresh wee top-up of powder as the low departs on Saturday the 19th of September. Hot on its heels, strong and unsettled spring westerlies return, with several fronts zipping across the country bringing bouts of rain and snow through midweek.

Snow totals don’t look huge at this stage, with just a top-up expected, while the howling winds could cause plenty of headaches. Things should finally settle down for a quick spell around Thursday or Friday, the 24th and 25th.

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 Wednesday.

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