The Grasshopper – The Latest Snow Forecast

Australian Forecast – A Cracking Run of Spring Weather for the Last Resorts Standing

Published early Wednesday, 9^th September 2026

Only Thredbo and Perisher remain open, holding the fort in what has perhaps been the meanest and leanest season on record. There may not be much snow left to play on, but Mother Nature is at least turning on some cracking spring weather for those still keen to get amongst it.

A cold southerly change today, Wednesday, could squeeze out a cheeky flurry if we’re lucky, before skies clear and winds die away on Thursday. From there, high pressure slides past, bringing plenty of sunshine, light winds and increasingly warm temperatures through Sunday.

Wednesday 9^th September

Westerlies turn to a brisk, cold southerly during the morning, bringing some clouds and maybe a snow flurry around late morning/midday if we’re lucky. Blue skies increase in the afternoon as the clouds start to disperse.

Thursday 10^th September

A nice, sunny day as the southerly breeze gradually dies away. 

Friday 11^th September

An absolute corker with warm, sunny skies, a little cloud popping up in the afternoon and super light southeast breezes.

Saturday 12^th September

Another mint, warm day with little to no wind and a little afternoon cloud again.

Sunday 13^th September

Mint again with warm northwest breezes and some high cloud.

Extended Forecast

Unfortunately, the extended outlook won’t be doing our meagre scraps of snow too many favours. Hair-dryer northwesterlies strengthen on Monday the 14th of September ahead of a wet and windy front that rolls through on Tuesday the 15th. Thankfully, it’ll bring a nice cold change in its wake, which should give the slopes a dusting and perhaps even provide a window for snowmaking, if the resorts are still keen.

We’ll get another fine spell through mid-next week as high pressure drifts overhead, before yet another wet and windy system takes a swipe at the mountains over the weekend of the 19th and 20th. There’s a chance we could squeeze a dusting of snow out of this one too, but for the most part it looks wet. If we still have lifts spinning by then, I think we’ll have done pretty well considering the hand we’ve been dealt this season.

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 Friday.

Grasshopper

New Zealand Forecast –  Another Shot of Powder, then Westerlies, Sunshine & Flurries for the Weekend

Published early Wednesday, 9^th September 2026

It was an absolute corker of a day yesterday, with sunny skies overhead and fresh powder underboot. A stormy weekend saw the Southern Lakes ski fields score up to 15–35cm, while a storm whipping up the country Sunday and Monday delivered around 15–25cm across Canterbury and 5–10cm to Mt Ruapehu.

Another round of fresh powder is on the way as our stormy spring pattern keeps ticking along. After a mostly fine Wednesday, a cold front sweeps north Wednesday night, delivering around 5–15cm to South Island ski fields before clearing through Thursday. Mt Ruapehu gets in on the action too as the front crosses on Thursday, with 10–20cm expected up high before snow lowers to base level that evening, leaving a dusting down low.

From Friday, strong westerlies become the main headache, potentially hampering lift operations at times through the weekend. Snow flurries and showers will remain in the mix for the Southern Lakes and Mt Ruapehu, while Canterbury gets the better end of the deal with plenty of sunshine.

Wednesday 9^th September

A nice, clear morning for the South Island ski fields, but cloud builds from the south during the afternoon as northwest winds strengthen. A front then sweeps north over the Southern Lakes in the evening and Canterbury overnight, bringing a shot of snow with a cold south-to-southwest wind change.

Mt Ruapehu will also start out nice and clear and calm, but a developing light northwesterly breeze will kick up a little cloud in the afternoon.

Thursday 10^th September

The snowfall eases over the Southern Lakes before dawn with a new 5-15cm of fresh powder, making for a great day on the slopes with partly sunny, partly cloudy skies and cold southwest winds. There may be a few lingering snow flurries about the Queenstown ski fields in the morning.

Snowfall in Canterbury gradually clears from the south throughout the day as the cold southerly winds ease, starting with the Mackenzie area in the morning, and then further north around evening. Ski fields here should also score around 5-15cm of powder, keeping the slopes topped up, although visibility will be limited.

Showers develop on Mt Ruapehu early, falling as snow to mid-levels, then building to rain and high-level snow in the afternoon before the cold front from the south crosses in the evening, bringing a cooler southerly change and a dusting of snow to base levels. The upper slopes should score totals between 10-20cm.

Friday 11^th September

Westerly winds really ramp up across the country, reaching gale force in exposed areas and likely hampering lift operations. The Southern Lakes will have partly sunny, partly cloudy skies again with a few snow flurries possible about the Queenstown ski fields, while Canterbury will be mostly sunny.

A mostly fine morning for Mt Ruapehu before light mid- and upper-level snow showers develop in the afternoon as westerly winds pick up, giving the upper slopes a dusting.

Saturday 12^th September

Cold west-to-southwest winds persist over the country and will be strong over the Southern Lakes, where there’ll continue to be cloud and the odd snow flurry, especially about the Queenstown ski fields, interspersed with sunny spells.

Canterbury meanwhile will stay fine with a little high cloud and Mt Ruapehu remains fairly cloudy with a few light snow showers.

Sunday 13^th September

Strong southwesterlies over the country gradually back off and turn westerly. The Southern Lakes will continue to have fine and cloudy spells with a few flurries still possible, while Canterbury stays mostly fine again. Mt Ruapehu will see more snow showers, but they’ll turn wet about the lower slopes in the morning as snow levels rise.

Extended Forecast

NZ remains firmly ensconced in an active spring westerly pattern next week, with a series of fronts zipping across the country, bringing periods of strong winds and brief bouts of rain and snow interspersed with fine spells. Models aren’t yet in good agreement on the timing or flavour of these fronts, so it’s still too early to make any big calls on when the best powder days might be.

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 Friday.

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