The Grasshopper – The Latest Snow Forecast

Sunday 25 August – A dusting awaits. More snow from Wednesday

Synoptic Outlook

The last snowflakes are currently falling over the Aussie Alps after what has been a dusting brought about by a cold front. Although the weather station on Mt Baw Baw tells us something more substantial has fallen there – maybe 10-15cm – and we’re yet to see anything show up in NSW. Nonetheless, it’ll be a great, wintery day to head up the hill.

Temps will stay chilly enough through Monday and Tuesday as a ridge of high pressure provides a couple of nice calm days to get some uncrowded weekday sliding under your belt.

As if things couldn’t get any better, a cold front will cross the Aussie Alps during the second half of Wednesday, bringing snow and freezing southerlies that may last into early Friday. Models have really jumped around with this one, as it’s been made complicated with a low spinning up in the Tasman Sea. At this stage however, we could expect something in the range of 10-25cm.

Image of The Day

The cold front has brought a return to winter today, and a dusting of snow awaits your ski’s. Source: NZ Metservice (vandalised by the Grasshopper)

Sunday 25 August

Remaining snowfalls will have all but cleared by the time we finish our lazy Sunday brekkie (saussies and eggs?), leaving behind a little bit of cloud, but plenty of sunshine and freshies. However, flurries will linger over Mt Baw Baw, while chilly southwesterly winds ease.

Monday 26 August

Mainly fine apart from afternoon cloud. Light winds, mainly from the south.

Tuesday 27 August

Fine with some afternoon cloud and light winds.

Wednesday 28 August

A fine start, then cloud builds before the front spreads snow across Victoria during the afternoon and NSW in the evening. NW winds strengthen, and then change to a freezing S-SW behind the front.

Extended Outlook

Once snowfalls clear on Friday a ridge of high pressure should see us at least through Saturday.

A weak cold front could see light snowfalls late Sunday into Monday, before more high pressure.

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.

Sunday 25 August – We wait today for snow tomorrow

Synoptic Outlook

A strong westerly flow lies over Aotearoa, New Zealand today, before a low and its associated front cross the country during Monday. It’ll be rough as guts on Ruapehu again, but about 15-20cm should fall, while cold southerlies sweep up the South Island and drop a fresh layer of powder about 5-10cm deep.

Ruapehu will finally see the light of day during Tuesday and Wednesday, along with lighter winds, as a ridge of high pressure builds to the north. Despite NW winds strengthening over the South Island, there’ll be plenty of sunshine, and you’ll want to head up the hill on Tuesday to make the most of the freshies from the day before.

Image of The Day

We wait today for snow tomorrow, proudly brought to us by that low just east of Tasmania. Etch in Tuesday to head up the hill. Source: NZ Metservice (vandalised by the Grasshopper)

Sunday 25 August

Variable high cloud and strong to gale NW winds over the South Island.

Occasional snow flurries and showers throughout the day on Ruapehu. Snow levels lifting to about 1700m from afternoon, wet stuff falling below that. Gale W-SW winds.

Monday 26 August

Snowfalls will get going as a cold S-SW change goes through the Southern Lakes early morning and Canterbury during the afternoon. However there’ll be scattered rain and snow in Canterbury before then. Up to 5-10cm should accumulate.

Rough as guts on Ruapehu with snow to 1600m. Heavy falls during the morning and gale-severe gale westerlies combine to make blizzard conditions, but it’ll all gradually abate later.

Tuesday 27 August

Skies mostly clear early over the South Island for a great day with freshies on offer. Some mid-high cloud will linger over the Southern Lakes as W-NW winds pick up.

Any remaining showers on Ruapehu clear, and cloud thins to let some sunshine in. Brisk W-SW winds abate.

Wednesday 28 August

A mint, sunny day for the South Island, although NW winds may blow a gale over the Southern Lakes.

Ski fields on Ruapehu should sit above cloud level with an abundance of sunshine and snow. SW breezes turn to the west.

Extended Outlook

High pressure sitting over the north of NZ is expected to slowly spread its influence southwards over the country during Friday and next weekend, bringing settled conditions.

A front does try to blast its way in during Thursday, but is quickly dispatched over the lower South Island before making serious inroads. In doing so however, southern ski fields may get a wee dusting of fresh snow.

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.

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.