The Grasshopper – The Latest Snow Forecast

Australian Forecast – Major Storm to Bring Washout Sunday, then a Solid Reload Next Week

Published early Friday, 7^th August 2026

The resorts are looking fantastic after scoring 10-20cm of fresh powder, backed up by great snowmaking conditions, thanks to chilly, breezy winds that brought light but consistent snowfall from Monday through Wednesday.

We’ll have great conditions on Friday and Saturday as a high-pressure system swings past, bringing mostly settled, sunny skies, apart from some cloudy, foggy mornings in Victoria. Make the most of it, because all hell breaks loose on Sunday as one of the most powerful storms of the season barrels in.

While the storm begins as a washout below the highest peaks, a sharp cold change overnight Sunday will send snow levels plummeting to the base, kicking off several days of heavy snow and fresh refills that could seriously boost the snowpack.

I’m expecting around 15-35cm on both Monday and Tuesday, totalling 30-70cm over the two days. The wide range accounts for both the difference between lower and upper elevations, where snow levels will be marginal down low at times, and the fact that the models still aren’t in complete agreement. The latest run of our very own MountainWatch model is now reading the situation well, after earlier runs went overboard by turning too much of Sunday’s rain into snow as it expected lower snow levels.

Friday 7^th August

Clouds gradually clear New South Wales during the morning as the westerly breeze dies, leaving a calm, sun-filled afternoon. There’ll be low cloud in Victoria clagging up the resorts with drizzly, foggy conditions, but it’ll gradually break up and clear in the afternoon as brisk westerly winds ease. Cold snowmaking temps overnight, particularly in New South Wales.

Saturday 8^th August

A mint, sunny day for New South Wales with light northerly breezes. Victoria may start with low cloud fogging up the resorts, but that’ll clear before high cloud builds in the afternoon as northerly winds pick up.

Sunday 9^th August

It’s going to be a super rough day as a powerful storm barrels in, with heavy rain and severe-gale north-to-northwest winds developing during the morning, so expect limited lift operations. The highest terrain above about 1900m may see some snow during the day, but below that it’ll be a washout.

The worst of the wind and rain arrives after dark before a sharp cold change sweeps through overnight, sending snow levels tumbling to the base levels and turning the rain to heavy snow.

Monday 10^th August

Gale to severe-gale west-to-northwesterlies will again hamper lift operations as snow continues throughout the day, providing fresh refills, before a surge of milder air turns it to rain in Victoria during the afternoon and New South Wales in the evening. Precipitation eases overnight as it turns back to snow.

Tuesday 11^th August

Another snow day with strong to gale-force northwest winds. Snow builds through the day, but it may turn wet down low before a cold front whips through overnight, bringing a burst of heavy snowfall back to base levels.

Extended Forecast

We’ll continue to pile on the snow during Wednesday and Thursday, the 12^th and 13^th of August, as another one or two cold fronts cross, with some lighter falls also possible on Friday and Saturday the 14^th and 15^th. However, snow levels will continue to dink and dive, so there’ll be some low-level rain in the mix. Conditions will be all-time for several days afterwards, as high pressure moves in for a run of settled, fine days.

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 Sunday.

Grasshopper

New Zealand Forecast –  Sluggish Front Brings a Weekend Mix of Rain & Snow

Published early Friday, 7^th August 2026

After the big freeze and a fresh dusting of powder earlier this week, conditions were excellent on Wednesday and Thursday with crisp, clear wintry weather. Snowmaking has also been at full capacity, fattening up the groomers nicely. The Kiwi season is in full swing, and it’s fair to say we’ve well and truly shrugged off the early season conditions that lasted for far too long.

A slow-moving slug of a front pushing in from the west will send light snow showers spilling over the Main Divide onto some ski fields during Friday, before crossing Canterbury on Saturday and early Sunday, then Mt Ruapehu later on Sunday, bringing a mix of rain and snow, which should leave ski fields with at least a dusting on the lower slopes and a more solid top-up on the upper slopes. This is a significant change from previous forecasts, as models have been all over the shop trying to figure out this system.

Conditions clear up for a nice day on Monday, but they’ll deteriorate again on Tuesday as the next front flies in from the Tasman, making landfall late in the day, bearing that same mix of rain and high-level snow

Friday 7^th August

A front pushing in from the west will push a fair amount of high cloud over South Island ski fields, with gusty northwesterlies blowing in some light spillover snow showers. Treble Cone and Temple Basin, being closest to the Main Divide, will make the most of the snowfall with a wee dusting expected, while only a flurry or two, if any, is expected elsewhere. Winds will be strong in Canterbury.

Mt Ruapehu will be mostly sunny with a little afternoon cloud as northwest winds pick up.

Saturday 7^th August

The front in the west will continue pushing in over the upper South Island. The Southern Lakes will stay fine with high cloud, while a mix of rain and snow spreads down Canterbury, where snow levels gradually drop to around base levels at night. Light northeast breezes.

Another fine day for Mt Ruapehu with high cloud and west-to-northwest breezes.

Sunday 9^th August

The front over the upper South Island slowly pulls away to the north as a cool southwesterly flow develops. Snowfall over Canterbury clears during the morning, leaving a top-up of fresh powder, especially on the upper slopes. Further south, there could be an early dusting of snow over the Southern Lakes before clouds gradually break up and clear for a sunny afternoon.

Conditions rapidly deteriorate on Mt Ruapehu through the morning as the front moves in, with rain and high-level snow developing and northerly winds rising to gale force, likely restricting lift operations. The front crosses late afternoon, allowing conditions to gradually ease, with a brief dusting of snow to lower levels before clearing at night.

Monday 10^th August

A nice, sunny day across the South Island as southwest winds die away and northwest breezes develop.

Mt Ruapehu will be mostly cloudy about mid and lower slopes, but the upper slopes should be clear.

Tuesday 11^th August

Northerly winds strengthen over the South Island as another storm system approaches from the west, bringing a solid deck of high cloud over ski fields. Rain and high-level snow spreads along the Main Divide through the latter half of the day, with showers spilling over the Southern Lakes from afternoon and Canterbury at night.

Cloud and northerly winds gradually build over Mt Ruapehu throughout the day before rain sets in at night.

Extended Forecast

The storm window is likely to stay open throughout next week into early the following week. Weak storm systems flying in from the west will continue to bring a mix of rain and snow to the country on Wednesday and Thursday, the 12^th and 13^th of August, while snow levels gradually lower as cooler air masses arrive. Then, starting Friday or Saturday, the 14^th and 15^th, even colder air flowing in from the south will bring a round of snow, or several smaller rounds, which will keep the snowpack growing and in fine powdery form.

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

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