The Grasshopper – The Latest Snow Forecast

Australian Forecast – Storm Disappoints, But a Cracking Weekend Awaits

Published early Wednesday, 12^th August 2026

The storm that had initially promised so much has delivered so little. After a thorough beatdown from heavy rain late Sunday into early Monday, resorts have only received around 10-15cm of fresh snow so far, with the low elevations only receiving a dusting. Most of this fell late Monday, the earlier burst of snow we expected in the early hours of Monday as the cold air arrived was a real fizzer, and we only received up to 5cm.

The main problem was that the cold air turned up after the main rainband had passed, depriving it of that essential moisture; there was no cold air sneaking in beneath it. It was a tricky forecast from the get-go, but it is disappointing nonetheless.

The mid and upper slopes have actually come away in good nick, with great conditions up there yesterday (Tuesday), and they’ll receive another 2-6 of snow today (Wednesday) before the weather gradually settles, with improving conditions Thursday and Friday as pressures rise. The weekend then looks fantastic with sunshine, light winds and cold overnight snowmaking temperatures, before milder northerlies return early next week ahead of the next storm window.

Wednesday 12^th August

Another day of snow showers, the bulk of which will fall late morning and afternoon as brisk northwesterlies turn westward, before easing in the evening. However, it’ll turn wet on the lower slopes during this time as snow levels lift to around 1600-1700m. We should receive another 2-6cm through the day, mostly on mid and upper slopes.

Thursday 13^th August

Clouds clear New South Wales early for a fine, sunny day, but they’ll linger in Victoria, where it may be a little damp and foggy at times, especially in the west on Mt Buller and Mt Baw Baw, reducing visibility. Brisk west-to-southwest winds will gradually back off.

Friday 14^th August

Any morning clouds affecting the resorts will clear pronto, but they’ll linger over Mt Baw Baw, where there may be drizzle at times. Southwest breezes die away in New South Wales.

Saturday 15^th August

A gorgeous sunny day, with little to no wind. Temps should get chilly enough for the snow guns early morning and overnight.

Sunday 15^th August

Another fine day with light winds, apart from some afternoon cloud popping up. Chilly snow-making temps again early morning and overnight.

Extended Forecast

Milder northerly winds will pick up early next week from Monday through Wednesday, the 17^th to 19^th of August, ahead of approaching storms in the west, which are likely to start making landfall around Thursday or Friday the 20^thand 21^st. This storm window will likely start wet and rainy, but chances for snowfall increase later in the week through into the last week of August, especially on mid and upper slopes.

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 Friday.

Grasshopper

New Zealand Forecast –  Mixed Midweek Storm Before Icy Southerlies Bring Weekend Freshies

Published early Wednesday, 12^th August 2026

We had excellent conditions both above and below the boot on Tuesday after a storm at the weekend delivered a tidy 10cm and 18cm of fresh powder to Cardrona and Treble Cone respectively, while Coronet Peak and The Remarkables also received a few centimetres. Canterbury also received a 2-5cm refresh, although Ohau, closer to the action in the south, scored 12cm, while light snow fell mostly on the upper slopes of Mt Ruapehu.

The next storm, a frontal system, is now fast approaching and will push in from the west, bringing strong winds and a mix of rain and snow on Wednesday into early Thursday before conditions clear for a mostly fine Thursday and Friday.

Winter then bites back over the weekend as icy southerlies sweep up the country, bringing a couple of light rounds of fresh powder to ski fields from the Southern Lakes up to Mt Ruapehu. Although accumulations will only range from a dusting to a small top-up, the snow guns will get a good long run to give the groomers an extra boost.

Wednesday 12^th August

A frontal rainband pushes into the South Island from the west, strengthening north-to-northwest winds which reach gale force in exposed areas. A mix of rain and snow will spill over the Main Divide, reaching ski fields for at least a time. Ski fields closest to the Main Divide, such as Treble Cone, Ohau and Temple Basin,  will see the bulk of the precipitation and the lowest snow levels.

Thursday 13^th August

The frontal storm system fizzles out over the South Island, with rain and high-level snow clearing early, leaving fine conditions with a little high cloud, while brisk northwest winds ease.

Friday 14^th August

A weak ridge of high pressure brings a mostly sunny day to South Island ski fields, with light northwest breezes developing in the afternoon. There’ll just be a little cloud over Canterbury in the morning.

Saturday 15^th August

An icy-cold southerly change whips up the country, giving the Southern Lakes a dusting during the morning, and then a slightly larger top-up in Canterbury later in the morning and afternoon, before finally reaching Mt Ruapehu late in the day with a wee top-up also expected overnight.

Sunday 16^th August

An extra strong surge of icy-cold southerly winds will bring another dusting or small top-up to ski fields across the country. This will likely happen for the Southern Lakes early, then for Canterbury later in the day, and then for Mt Ruapehu overnight again.

Extended Forecast

Next week starts cold as the south-to-southwest winds persist through Monday and Thursday, the 17^th and 18^th of August, with a little more snow expected, before high pressure moves in on Wednesday the 19^th of August for a run of fine, settled winter days.

There’s a chance another snow-bearing system could roll through over the weekend of the 22nd and 23rd, but it’s still firmly in the highly uncertain basket, so don’t count on it just yet.

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