The Grasshopper – The Latest Snow Forecast

Australian Forecast – Mint Weather Continues for Today, Thu & Fri, Wet & Warm Tue-Wed

Published early Monday, 8^th June 2026

The Aussie Season has officially started, and it’s been a fantastic Opening Weekend with mostly blue, sunny skies. Resorts have one or two runs open on a mix of natural and man-made snow. After the snow settled from the lead-in storm, resorts are reporting bases of around 15-25cm. Most of that is on the mid-upper slopes, while the lower slopes are heavily reliant on the man-made stuff, much of which has been made as conditions have been ripe for it.

The weather stays mint for today’s public holiday, which will be the pick of the bunch before warm, humid northerlies bring showers on Tuesday and then rain on Wednesday as a weak front passes over. High pressure will then give us another couple of pearlers on Thursday and Friday to end the working week.

Monday 8^th June

Another nice, sunny day for today’s public holiday. It’ll be a chilly start, and the snowmakers will have set up the groomers nicely, but temps will climb as warmer northerly breezes kick in. The snow guns should get another run overnight, especially in New South Wales.

Tuesday 9^th June

Tuesday starts out nice, but occasional light showers develop over Victoria in the morning as northerly winds strengthen, with the one or two possibly showing up at the New South Wales resorts from the afternoon.

Wednesday 10^th June

A wet ol’ day with rain for much of it, with strong, gusty northerly winds. Most of the rain will come down during the first half of the day, then gradually ease and clear through the back half as winds also back off.

Thursday 11^th June

Any morning cloud clears to a fine, sunny day with light north-to-northwest breezes.

Friday 12^th June

Another gorgeous sunny day, with northerly breezes, which will be light in New South Wales

Extended Forecast

This coming weekend, the 13^th and 14^th, will bring some rain showers and warm northwest winds as a weak front slips underneath us. Earlier forecasts for a shot of snow during this time have fizzled out, unfortunately.

There’s a chance we’ll see a stronger storm during the first half of next week, from about Monday the 15^th to Thursday the 18^th of June. Models are at odds over what will transpire; some say just rain, others say rain then snow. There’s also a chance we could see some more snow and cold air through the back half of next week. It’s too early to make a call, so all we can do is cross our skis and poles and keep our bases waxed until then.

That’s all from me today, folks. I’m sending out these forecasts every Monday, Wednesday and Friday throughout the season, and during July and August I’ll fire one out on Sundays too. Have a great couple of days, and I’ll see you back here on Monday.

Grasshopper

New Zealand Forecast –  NZ Ski Fields to Open this Weekend on a Man-Made Base

Published early Monday, 8^th June 2026

The 2026 New Zealand snow season is just days away from getting started. Coronet Peak has already got the ball rolling thanks to its Snow Factory opening up some limited terrain accessed with its conveyor lifts on 29^th May. Mt Hutt is scheduled to open this Friday, the 12^th, followed by a full opening at Coronet Peak on Saturday, the 13^th, alongside The Remarkables and Cardrona.

Preseason conditions haven’t been ideal, leaving NZ mountains largely bare of snow, apart from what ski fields have been able to manufacture. Mt Hutt is the standout with about 10cm of natural snow on its upper slopes.

Resorts will see little, if any, snowfall in the lead-up to Opening Weekend, but a cold change on Monday, followed by clear, dry conditions, will give the snow guns a good chance to fire over the next few days. Hopefully it’ll be enough for ski fields to kick off their seasons.

Monday 8^th June

A weak front from the south moves up the country. The Southern Lakes will pick up a dusting of snow above about 1900m as the front passes over during the morning, with rain lower down. Strong, cold southwest winds behind the front push in some light snow flurries during the afternoon, mostly benefiting The Remarkables where 1cm or less is expected. Despite little snowfall, the cold change will allow the snow guns to get a good, long run in from afternoon through the night.

Canterbury misses out on any snowfall when the front passes by in the afternoon, but will see the cold temperatures overnight for some snowmaking.

Tuesday 9^th June

Skies will be clear and dry over the South Island, while the cold southwesterlies gradually ease as a ridge of high pressure builds. Cold overnight temps for the Southern Lakes will have the snow guns firing again.

Wednesday 10^th June

Dry, sunny skies again for the South Island as the ridge continues to build while drifting northwards, allowing northwest winds to develop over the Southern Lakes, making overnight temps there more marginal for snowmaking.

Thursday 11^th June

Another fine, dry day as northwesterlies pick up. Clouds build over the southern Lakes late in the day, limiting any snowmaking potential.

Friday 12^th June

Another passing weak front brings some early showers to the Southern Lakes, which will fall as snow above about 1900m for a dusting up top.

At this stage, Canterbury stays dry as the front fizzles out before reaching the region, but keep an eye on it, as not all models agree with that. Scheduled Opening day at Mt Hutt is most likely to see a mix of sunshine and cloud with light winds.

Extended Forecast

Looking ahead to Opening Weekend, a ridge passing over the South Island on Saturday, the 13^th, will bring dry and mostly fine conditions for scheduled Opening Days at Coronet Peak, The Remarkables, and Cardrona.

Cloud and northwesterly winds are expected to pick up on Sunday ahead of yet another weak front arriving late in the day or overnight, with just a little rain and high-altitude snow possible.

Later next week, from about Wednesday, the 17^th of June, a bigger, stronger storm from the west is expected to cross the country. Things are likely to start wet and warm, before a cold change with snow later in the week. Fingers crossed we score from this one as resorts will be desperate for some good ol’ natural powder.

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 Wednesday.

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