The Grasshopper – The Latest Snow Forecast

Australian Forecast – A Great End to a Great Season

Published early Friday, 3^rd October 2025

Snow came in as expected during the early hours on Thursday with resorts reporting a few cents had gathered by the time they opened. Another 5cm had stacked up on Perisher’s snow stake before the snow cleared Thursday night. It’s a great wee addition to the snowpack that will see us nicely through the last four days of the season. Mt Buller, Hotham and Falls Creek will have their grand finale’s on Sunday, Thredbo and Perisher have theirs on Monday, which is a public holiday for Labour Day.

This is the final forecast of the season, which starts off with windy, mucky conditions today in Victoria, a fine start in NSW, Friday, before high pressure moves in for a warm, sunny weekend, though winds strengthen for Closing Day in Victoria on Sunday. Closing Day in NSW will have a wet, blustery start as a front passes over early Monday morning, but skies will brighten again for the season’s final turns.

Friday 3^rd October

Cloudy, clagged-in conditions with snow flurries in western Victoria, spreading elsewhere in the afternoon while turning wet and drizzly about lower and mid slopes. Strong southwesterly winds in exposed areas back off a touch.

Saturday 4^th October

A ridge of high pressure brings nice, sunny skies with a little high cloud while southwest winds gradually swing northwest.

Sunday 5^th October

Closing Day for Mt Buller, Hotham and Falls Creek will be dry with increasing high cloud. However, warm northwest winds strengthen, so keep an eye on lift operations.

Monday 6^th October

Closing Day for Thredbo and Perisher will start with a little rain and strong northwest winds as a front passes over first thing in the morning. Behind the front, we’ll be left with partly cloudy skies with sunny spells, and lighter westerly breezes.

That’s all from me for today and the season, folks. It’s been an absolute pleasure sharing all the highs and lows with you. I’m taking off to hibernate in the back country, but I’ll be back sometime in December when the northern hemisphere season starts cranking. See you then!

Grasshopper

New Zealand Forecast – A Stormy End To The Season

Published early Friday, 3^rd October 2025

Well folks, we made it. This is the last forecast of the season. Cardrona and Mt Olympus close this Sunday, leaving The Remarkables and Mt Hutt to hold the fort down south until they also close next Sunday. Whakapapa and Turoa will remain open until the 26^th of October. So make the most of it while you can.

The riding continues to be exceptional in the Southern Lakes after the region scored a couple of 10-20cm powder dumps on Sunday and Tuesday night. Mt Hutt also received 5cm on Wednesday, while Mt Ruapehu had a dusting.

We’ll sneak in some nice weather for a great Friday session ahead of a Tasman Low crossing the country this weekend, bringing a mix of rain and snow. Colder southerlies arriving on the South Island late Saturday will give the Southern Lakes and Canterbury a top-up of dense snow through into Sunday.

Conditions deteriorate on Monday as strong, stormy westerlies once again arrive on Kiwi slopes, with fronts and gales expected to rattle ski fields throughout the week. However, the Southern Lakes in particular will pick up some nice shots of powder in the process.

Friday 3^rd October

A mostly clear, sunny morning up in the mountains, with low cloud filling the valleys and plains. Cloud then builds ahead of a Tasman Low, which spreads rain southwards over Mt Ruapehu in the afternoon as westerlies swing north. After dark, the rain spreads over the South Island, falling as snow to mid-levels or lower in the Southern Lakes. South Island ski fields will also have light breezes from the northerly quarter.

Saturday 4^th October

A bit of a soggy day as the Tasman low continues to cross the country, bringing periods of rain to the ski fields. However, dense snow will fall to around mid-levels for the Southern Lakes, where there’ll be a cooler southeast breeze. Winds will come from the northwest for Mt Ruapehu, and northeast for Canterbury.

In the evening, snow levels fall to base levels across the South Island as a colder southerly arrives. A little snow will also fall about mid- and upper-slopes of Mt Ruapehu before drying up overnight.

Sunday 5^th October

Snowfall across the South Island clears the Southern Lakes in the afternoon and Canterbury at night as the low pulls away to the east, allowing chilly southerly winds to start easing. The winds will be strong in Canterbury throughout day, which might affect lift operations. This low is likely to deliver a top-up of between 5 and 20cm from base to summit. Overall, not a bad one for Closing Day at Cardrona.

Showers of rain and upper-level snow kick up over Mt Ruapehu in the afternoon, then clear at night shortly after northwesterlies turn southerly.

Monday 6^th October

Not a bad start for the South Island, but conditions will quickly deteriorate as a front approaches from the west, likely affecting lift operations. Cloud increases and northwest winds rapidly strengthen, reaching severe-gale in exposed spots, before the front spreads rain northwards during the afternoon with heavy falls on the cards. A colder westerly change at night will see the rain transition to snow.

Mt Ruapehu will see a bit of cloud and a few light showers, falling as snow about mid- to upper-slopes, while westerly winds pick up.

Tuesday 7^th October

Snow showers over the Southern Lakes taper off, then clear in the afternoon with sunny skies, as brisk, chilly southwesterlies gradually swing northwest. A few more snow showers will show up at night.

Mt Hutt will score a fresh dusting of snow, thanks to a brief southwest change. Other than that, skies will be mostly clear, but winds will start strong from the northwest which may delay things.

Mt Ruapehu will cop a load of heavy rain before opening as the front passes over. Showers of snow and low-level rain will continue throughout the day with strong westerly winds.

Extended Forecast

Strong, unsettled westerlies will persist through to the end of next week, marring the season’s final days for The Remarkables and Mt Hutt, where lift operations will likely be affected. Gales will be the norm, with peaks in wind strength coming ahead of a couple of passing frontal systems due around late Thursday/Friday and next weekend. Expect a bout of rain followed by snow with both systems as they bring a dip in temperatures.

That’s all from me for today and the season, folks. It’s been an absolute pleasure sharing all the highs and lows with you. I’m taking off to hibernate in the back country, but I’ll be back sometime in December when the northern hemisphere season starts cranking. See you then!

Grasshopper

Weekly Japan Forecast – Powder Day Thursday, Then Spring-Like

Written late Wednesday, 18^th February (Japan Standard Time)

After a week of low snowfall and warm temperatures, we’ll wake up Thursday morning to a brand-spanking new layer of powder, fresh off the lot after a storm rolled in late Wednesday. It’ll be a great powder day as the storm gradually clears throughout the day.

You’ll want to make the most of it as it’ll be the last decent dump in a while as warm, dry weather takes hold Friday and through the weekend. The next storm will only give northern Honshu and Hokkaido a wee top-up of snow on Monday after some initial wet, warm conditions. The next storm after that will then likely bring heavy rain to Honshu next week Wednesday.

Has spring arrived early this season?

Thursday 19^th & Friday 20^th February

Thursday will be a great powder day after a storm arrived Wednesday afternoon. Things started a bit warm and damp, but cold air arrived from the northwest shortly after, dumping high-quality powder through the night.

Snow showers will gradually peter out during Thursday as the storm winds down – first in the Nagano Prefecture and areas to the west during the morning, then other areas to the north throughout the second half of the day and overnight. Storm totals could reach 30-45cm in parts of southwestern Hokkaido and Central Honshu, and 10-30cm elsewhere.

Friday will be another great day up the hill, with dry, sunny conditions for most, as high pressure drifts over the country. However, mild southwesterlies will push in a few light snow showers over southwest Hokkaido and northern Tohoku during the latter half of the day.

Saturday 21^st & Sunday 22^nd February

The weather will remain warm, dry, and mostly sunny this weekend as high pressure departs, giving us another early taste of spring. Warm southwesterlies will turn southerly and strengthen late Sunday as the next storm approaches from the west.

Monday 23^rd to Wednesday 25^th February

The next storm will arrive in the early hours of Monday and will benefit northern Honshu and Hokkaido with a fresh top-up of powder. However, the storm will start wet and warm again, and will be fairly short-lived, with snow mostly clearing late Monday into early Tuesday.

The storm will likely be a non-event for central and southwestern Honshu, where rain and high-level snow will predominantly fall on the Pacific side – away from the major ski resorts, thankfully – due to a southerly wind flow. Some resorts may pick up some light snow as colder westerlies arrive.

Another storm is picked to fly over the country from the southwest on Wednesday. This one doesn’t look great, likely bringing warm temperatures and heavy rain to Honshu, particuarly central parts, and possibly just a little snow to Hokkaido. It’s still early days, and models tend to get carried away this far out, so cross your poles and skis that this one doesn’t play out.

That’s all from me today, folks. Have a great week, and I’ll see you here next Thursday for another weekly rundown of Japan’s highlights and snowlights.

Grasshopper

Weekly North America Forecast – Powder Tap On Full-Blast as Storms Continue Across the West 

Written Wednesday, 18^th February (Pacific Standard Time)

The long, quiet dry spell is now a distant memory, having been replaced by perhaps the biggest storm cycle of the season for many parts of Western North America. The powder tap has been on full-blast since Sunday, with resorts in the Sierras topping the charts with around 0.7-2+m accumulating by Wednesday, while the bulk of resorts throughout the Rockies – from BC and Alberta to Arizona and New Mexico – scored between 20-60cm of high-quality powder.

The storm cycle will eventually wind down on Friday, but will pick back up on Sunday for several more days of widespread snowfall that will see February go out with a KA-POW!

Thursday 19^th & Friday 20^th February

The storm cycle that began earlier this week gradually winds down over the next two days. On Thursday, one storm exits the central-southern Rockies while another makes landfall in the Sierras with heavy snowfall. The storm then moves into the central-southern Rockies from late Thursday with moderate snowfall, before exiting later on Friday, leaving the West dry under a block of high pressure.

Cold temperatures will produce high-quality powder and low snow levels. The Sierras will be favoured with 30-60cm on the cards, followed by Utah, Colorado and Arizona and northern New Mexico, where up to 25-50cm could fall in some areas.

Smaller totals are expected in areas wedged between the northern fringes of these storms and a dry Arctic airmass sitting over much of Canada and the northern Rockies. Here, the Cascades, interior BC, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming will pick up a small top-up of around 5-15cm in some areas, while the biting cold in the north gradually eases.

Saturday 21^st & Sunday 22^nd February

Much of the West will remain dry through Saturday. However, light snow showers will come and go in the Canadian Coast Mountains and Cascades as a large low-pressure system looms just offshore.

The storm begins pressing more firmly into the Pacific Coastal Range from Saturday night, with heavy snowfall in Northern California, from Tahoe to Mount Shasta, through Sunday. However, it’ll be borne of a strong, warm and humid southerly flow, bringing denser snow, and snow levels close to base elevations. Lighter snowfalls will also clip the Cascades and Canadian Coast Mountains on Sunday, eventually reaching interior BC late in the day.  

Monday 23^rd to Wednesday 25^th February

The storm in the northwest will expand north and south as it continues pressing inland, reaching its zenith during Monday, before weakening and becoming fragmented on Tuesday. The Pacific Coastal Range and northern Rockies will be favoured with the deepest totals over these two-days

Then on Wednesday, a compact storm will hit the Sierras, bringing more heavy snowfall. The storm will also extend into Utah and Colorado, with light to moderate snowfall. At the same time, a nice n’ cold storm will descend from the northwest to bring more high-quality powder to Canadian resorts.

Over this three-day period, much of the West will receive a solid top-up, although the Sierras will be favoured once again with a heavy dump, while Arizona and New Mexico could miss out entirely. Canada and the northern US will be more favoured for snow quality due to colder temperatures.

That’s all from me today, folks. Have a great week, and I’ll see you back here next Thursday for another weekly rundown of North America’s highlights and snowlights.

Grasshopper