The Grasshopper – The Latest Snow Forecast

Australian Forecast – A Fine Weekend Respite Before Another Wet One Rolls In

Published early Friday, 21^st August 2026

Well, we really copped it on Wednesday and Thursday, which has hit the snowpack hard, especially on mid and lower slopes. It was a rather feral couple of days, with rain gauges recording 35mm to 70mm of rain and gusts topping 100 km/h at Thredbo Top Station. Amongst it all, we did at least manage to see some snow above about 1850m from Thursday afternoon

Thankfully, that’s all behind us now, and conditions gradually improve today, Friday, before settling in for a mostly fine weekend, although western Victoria will still have some lingering clag on Saturday.

Another storm will hit us from the north on Tuesday, bringing another bout of rain and strong winds, but there’s a small chance we could squeeze a little snow out of it the following day as cooler air arrives. Cross your fingers, but don’t hold your breath!

Friday 21^st August

Plenty of cloud hangs about with a few drizzly showers and snow flurries here and there, although resorts will see some sunny spells amongst the mix, especially later in the afternoon as strong northwest winds ease.

Saturday 22^nd August

Cloud clears New South Wales and eastern Victoria for a sunny afternoon as westerly winds ease.

Being more exposed to the westerly winds, Mt Baw Baw and Mt Buller in Western Victoria will be cloudier and may even be clagged in and drizzly at times, but it’ll brighten later in the afternoon as clouds begin to break up.

Sunday 23^rd August

A mint, sunny day with a little afternoon cloud as light north-to-northwest breezes develop.

Monday 24^th August

Mostly fine with some cloud in western Victoria and northwest winds.

Tuesday 25^th August

A storm moves in from the north, bringing rain and strong north-to-northwest winds.

Extended Forecast

The storm from the north continues crossing the Aussie Alps on Wednesday the 26^th of August, bringing more rain as winds shift to a cooler southerly, but how cold it gets is still up for debate and will determine whether we see a transition to snow. We’ll then score a day or two of fine, settled, high-pressure weather before another storm arrives later in the week with a chance of some snow.

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 –  Wild Weekend Ahead with Gales, Rain and a Cold, Powdery Sunday  

Published early Friday, 21^st August 2026

After scoring powder over the weekend and early this week amidst cold, wintry weather, Kiwi ski fields had a cracker on Thursday, with excellent conditions above and below the boots. The weather will stay nice for your Friday session, but you’ll sense something is on the way with building high cloud and northwest winds.

That gut feeling will be absolutely spot on, as things get wild this weekend as a powerful frontal system brings rain, high-level snow, and gale-to-severe-gale winds, likely limiting lift operations. Colder air sweeps through Sunday with snow dropping to low levels and the biggest powder hauls earmarked for Treble Cone and Temple Basin, before more unsettled weather follows next week.

Friday 21^st August

A mostly fine day for South Island ski fields, but northwest winds will pick up as a front approaches from the west and high cloud builds over the Southern Lakes.

Westerly winds on Mt Ruapehu will continue to push in some cloud onto the lower slopes, but the upper slopes should be mostly clear.

Saturday 22^nd August

A much rougher day as an active storm front moves up the South Island, with strong northwest winds, reaching gale in exposed areas of the Southern Lakes and severe gale in Canterbury, likely forcing closures or limiting lift ops.

The Southern Lakes will receive a dusting of snow on the upper slopes as the front crosses early morning, but it’ll be wet on the lower slopes. Skies will then be partly cloudy before rain and high-level snow returns in the evening, but snow levels will come tumbling down overnight as colder air arrives.

The front then moves up Canterbury throughout the rest of the day, reaching Mt Hutt around early afternoon and bringing rain and high-level snow at first, but all turning to rain as snow levels quickly lift. However, snow levels will start to fall again overnight.

Snow showers develop on Mt Ruapehu during the morning, but it’ll be wet and sleety on the lower slopes. Brisk west-to-northwest winds.

Sunday 23^rd August

It’ll be another rough, stormy day across the country as a strong, cold westerly change sweeps over the South Island during the morning and then the North Island in the afternoon, bringing snow to low levels. Gale to severe gale winds continue and will no doubt limit lift operations and force some closures.

For the South Island, heavy precipitation turns to snow by dawn, then backs off to snow showers before clearing in the evening. The heaviest snowfall will be closest to the Main Divide, benefiting Treble Cone and Temple Basin with between 15-30 and 20-40cm respectively, whereas Mt Hutt in the east will likely only see a 2-5cm dusting before it clears in the morning.

For Mt Ruapehu, rain and high-level snow become heavy during the morning, then turn to light snow showers in the afternoon behind the front before also clearing in the evening.

Monday 24^th August

Strong northwest winds continue over the South Island, blowing at gale force in exposed areas, especially in Canterbury. There’ll be a bit of high cloud blowing over from the west, and snow showers about the Main Divide will reach Temple Basin, and possibly Treble Cone and Ohau at times too.

A mostly fine day for Mt Ruapehu, but southwest winds will bring some cloud to the lower slopes.

Tuesday 25^th August

Another front scoots up the South Island, bringing another round of rain and high-level snow. The front will weaken on its way north, so the heaviest falls will be in the Southern Lakes and near the Main Divide in Canterbury, while Mt Hutt will only see a light shower as the front crosses. Strong northwest winds will be at severe-gale force in Canterbury at first, but conditions will improve later in the day with winds abating and skies clearing.

A partly cloudy day for Mt Ruapehu with a snow flurry or two. And brisk westerly winds.

Extended Forecast

Later next week, a Tasman storm is likely to bring another round of heavy rain and strong northwest winds to the country during Thursday the 27^th and Friday the 28^th, and possibly into Saturday the 29^th of August. It won’t be pretty, and the snowpack will take a beating, but a cold change will follow close behind with a refresh of powder over the following couple of days.

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