The Grasshopper – The Latest Snow Forecast

North American Forecast – Spring Snowfalls Continue

Wednesday 6^th March (Pacific time)

Yet another awesome ten-day snow accumulation chart. This one however, shows good snowfalls more evenly spread throughout North America. Source:: windy.com

The second week of spring looks set to be a doozy with good snowfalls more evenly spread throughout North America compared to previous weeks. This is all thanks to a broad and complex low-pressure system, which drifts over western North America during the next few days, followed a cold airmass pushing south later in the week. With this being the last forecast of the season, there couldn’t be better way to sign out of one of the best seasons in living memory – this one will go down in the books for sure. Happy spring skiing to you all, I’m heading into the back country and will reappear once the leaves are falling in the Southern Hemisphere.

Thursday 7 Mar:

A broad and complex area of low pressure covers almost the entire western half of North America providing scattered light-moderate snowfalls for all-and-sundry, with pockets of heavier falls along the Rockies during the first half of the day as well as the Sierras during the second half. It may be a bit wet and heavy on lower slopes of many resorts due to fairly warm temps.

Friday 8 Mar:

Scattered snowfalls throughout western North America will gradually clear late in the day or at night as all of that low pressure migrates east. The mountains of Wyoming, Utah and Colorado look to gain the most with some heavier (moderate) falls, but again it might be a bit wet and slushy on lower slopes, as temps remain warm there. Temps should be cold enough elsewhere.

Saturday 9 Mar:

High pressure will see a mix of sun and cloud, with just a smattering of leftover flurries over the American Rockies during the morning and isolated snow showers in the Sierras.

Sunday 10 Mar:

Weak low pressure develops over the southern states to provide isolated snow showers for the southern Cascades and Sierras, which eventually spreads inland to Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico at night with decent, moderate-ish falls on the cards. Plenty of sunshine for resorts farther north.

Monday 11 Mar:

After what feels like an eternity, Canada will finally see a good dump of powder courtesy of a cold front rolling in from the Gulf of Alaska. There’ll be moderate-to-heavy snowfalls along the Coast Mountains and light-to-moderate falls further inland. The front will also roll over the Cascades later in the day with moderate-to-heavy falls.

Snowfalls farther south over Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico may actually be heavy at times, especially over the lower two states, with possible thunderstorms to boot.

Tuesday 12 Mar:

The front from the previous day continues to spread light-to-moderate snowfalls south and east from Canada and the Cascades all the way to the Sierras and Utah. Meanwhile, moderate-heavy snowfalls over Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico will ease and become few and far between.

Wednesday 13 Mar:

Scattered light snowfalls throughout the Rockies, but as the cold airmass continues pushing south, there’ll be some slightly heavier, moderate-ish falls over Arizona and New Mexico. Any leftover flurries along the Pacific crest will clear early.

Friday 28 September

Synoptic Outlook:

Well guys and gals, the end is nigh. After this weekend, some resorts will close their doors on what has been an epic season. Other resorts will carry on the good fight until next weekend, the 7^thof October. Today is my last forecast of the season… sob… then I will be heading into the backcountry to eke out some last turns before hanging up my six ski boots for good… or at least until the northern hemisphere starts dumping snow.

Warm northwesterlies are currently blowing over the Aussie Alps ahead of a cold front, which will slowly inch its way over us tonight, bringing snow showers and cold southerly winds. Snow accumulations will only be in the order of 2-5cm, which isn’t much but will provide nice surface conditions for one last hoorah of the season. The sun will come out later on Saturday as high pressure builds and will see us through Sunday and Monday.

Image Of The Day:

Not too bad a day up the hill today. A wee bit of snow will fall tonight into early Saturday morning, making surface conditions mint for the lucky last weekend at some resorts. Source:: Metservice (vandilised by the Grasshopper)

Friday 28 September:

A fine start, but cloud will build will build from afternoon as strong to gale NW winds ease. Snow showers will come in from the south tonight and overnight.

Saturday 29 September:

Snow showers will clear by midday, then the sun will come out to play. Freezing southerly winds gradually easing.

Sunday 30 September:

Sun and fun for your Sunday, with a chilly start and light winds.

Monday 1 October:

Slip slop slap and shred. Temps will swelter as the sun blazes with hardly a breath of wind.

Extended Outlook:

Northerly winds will kick in on Tuesday, bringing in a little cloud, then it’ll swing to the NW and strengthen on Wednesday with a spot of wet stuff falling on us. The wet stuff will really come down on Thursday as a front hits with temps too warm for snow. However, we might get a wee dusting early next Friday as colder air reaches us. We should have settled weather next weekend as a ridge digs in to the south.

That’s all from the Grasshopper for this season. I’ll see you all again once the northern hemisphere kicks off. If you have a question or feedback for me, hit me up on facebook.

Friday 28 September

Synoptic Outlook:

Well guys and gals, the end is nigh. Within a couple of weeks resorts will close their doors on what has been an epic season. Today’s forecast will be my last for the season… sob… but as you will see, a tonne of snow is yet to fall on Aotearoa, which will see the season go out with a bang! After that, I will head into the backcountry to eke out some last turns before hanging up my six ski boots for good… well, at least until the northern hemisphere starts dumping snow.

It’s a chilly start to a mostly fine day thanks to the ridge that’s lounging over us. However, the atmosphere is a little unstable and will kick up some snow showers over Ruapehu this afternoon. The ridge will move off to the north on Saturday, clearing the way for an active cold front to slowly work its way up the South Island. This front will dump a serious amount of powder onto the Southern Lakes during Saturday, then Canterbury during Sunday as it spins up into a low. Accumulations will be in the realm of 20-30cm or more! The low will then drift up the west coast on Monday, while snow falls on Ruapehu and a weak ridge affects the South Island.

Image Of The Day:

A nice day to be on the slopes today, thanks to the sunny ridge. However, watch out for thunderstorms and snow showers on Ruapehu this afternoon. Epic amounts of snow will fall over the next week or so and will see the season go out with a bang! Source:: Metservice (vandilised by the Grasshopper)

Friday 28 September:

Mostly sunny for the South Island with a NW breeze picking up. A fine start on Ruapehu with a westerly breeze, but there’ll be a few afternoon snow showers with possible thunderstorms.

Saturday 29 September:

It’ll start snowing over the Southern Lakes from late morning and there’ll be heavy falls later in the day. High cloud will build in Canterbury, and we might see a snow flurry or two. NW winds will rise to gale over the South Island. For Ruapehu, there’ll be some afternoon cloud and a snow flurry or two as well as a westerly breeze.

Sunday 30 September:

Snow falling across the South Island, but it’ll gradually clear later in the day. N-NW winds will be blowing a gale in Canterbury. It’ll be rather cloud on Ruapehu with the odd snow shower from afternoon as NW winds strengthen.

Monday 1 October:

Mostly fine for the South Island with light winds. Snow on Ruapehu will ease around midday as gale NW winds ease, then it’ll return at night.

Extended Outlook:

The low will be weak as it crosses the North Island during Tuesday, but we’ll still have a hefty dump of fresh powder on Ruapehu in the order of 15-20cm. Also on Tuesday, yet another cold front will brush the South Island, giving us a nice wee dusting of freshies. NW winds will kick in on Wednesday and clear any muck away so we can shred all this new pow pow. Another frontal system should trundle up the country from late Thursday or next Friday, with snow possibly falling through next weekend, yikes!

That’s all from the Grasshopper. Wanna keep your finger on the pulse of all things snow? Join my weekly email list by filling in the box below. If you have a question or feedback for me, hit me up on facebook.

Japan Forecast – Powder day for Honshu & Sunshine for Hokkaido before Mayhem Monday hits.

Thursday 7^th March (Japan time)

Ten-day snow accumulations are tantalisingly sizeable. Source:: windy.com

Now that we’re in the thick of spring, we’ll see it all this week. Rain on Honshu will turn to snow tonight, with Friday set to offer up some good powder and what could be the best conditions of the week for resorts there. Hokkaido will offer fantastic feel-good weather along with a predawn dusting on Sunday to top it all off. Things take a turn on Mayhem Monday however, as an angry low rampages over Japan with super strong winds, heavy rain and snowfalls eventually abating on Tuesday.

Ten-day snow accumulations are tantalisingly sizeable, but the bulk of this will pile up on mid-upper slopes with wetter slushier stuff lower down. Adding to that, some models show a rip-snorter of a snowstorm next weekend that may or may not come to fruition. It would certainly be a fairytale end to what is my last forecast for the season. That’s right folks, this is indeed my last and it has been a blast, but there are still plenty or turns to be made this season before hanging up the skis. See you all again when the southern hemisphere turn on.

Thursday 7 Mar:

A low sitting off the Pacific Coast of Honshu is currently dumping snow onto mid & upper slopes, but rain lower down. Temps will steadily drop from later this afternoon as strong northerly winds hit, with snowfalls lowering to base levels. It’s a lovely day on Hokkaido with plenty of sunshine and winds out of the N-NE.

Friday 8 Mar:

Snowfalls will gradually peter out on Honshu as northerly winds turn to the west. Accumulations from this event will mostly be within the 15-25cm range, so make the most of this fresh bonanza while you can. Hokkaido should have a beautiful sunrise and sunset, with cloud and maybe a snowflake or two in between.

Saturday 9 Mar:

A high passes over southern Honshu in the early hours, turning the winds over Japan to the SW and causing temps to steadily rise to a balmy day with a mix of sun and cloud.

Sunday 10 Mar:

There’ll be a predawn dusting on Hokkaido, with central parts receiving the most, eventually clearing to a beaut day as winds ease. On Honshu, high cloud will thicken during the afternoon as a low approaches from the East China Sea, spreading rain up to central Honshu at night.

Monday 11 Mar:

The low will rampage up Japan with strong winds and warm temps adding to the mayhem caused by rain. There’ll be really heavy falls, especially on the Pacific side of Japan, which will turn to snow about the tops of Honshu at night. Snow will fall to low levels on Hokkaido at first, then gradually lift to upper slopes at night.

Tuesday 12 Mar:

The angry low will track away to the north while rain and snowfalls gradually peter out, but there may be more showers later, which will fall as snow on upper slopes. Winds will blow a gale over northern Honshu and Hokkaido.

Wednesday 13 Mar:

Snow showers and flurries will blow in on a westerly wind, which will be quite strong. The snowfalls will be a bit wet and heavy at low levels.