The Grasshopper – The Latest Snow Forecast

Australian Forecast – Warm & Humid, then a Wet End to the Week

Published early Monday, 15^th June 2026

A low-pressure system building in the Australian Bight will feed in warm, humid northerlies to the Aussie Alps over the next few days. Drizzle will mainly affect Victoria at times, while New South Wales will be brighter, lighter and calmer overall.

Then from Thursday through Saturday, we’ll have rain and strong northwest winds as the storm moves eastwards towards the Aussie Alps. We should see a little snow falling about the tops over the weekend as cooler temps arrive, but we had higher hopes for this storm. Back to the drawing board it is.

Monday 15^th June

A mostly sunny day for New South Wales, and a fairly cloudy one for Victoria, where there’ll be a few spots of drizzle from afternoon as warm, humid northerly winds pick up. There’ll also be a little drizzle for New South Wales overnight.

Tuesday 16^th June

Mostly cloudy with warm, humid northwesterlies. The winds will be a bit stronger in Victoria, where there’ll also be a few spots of drizzle, then some showers overnight.

Wednesday 17^th June

Warm northwesterlies again, with mostly cloudy skies and drizzle at times for Victoria. Partly cloudy for New South Wales.

Thursday 18^th June

Drizzle builds into rain, and northerly winds become strong as a nasty front moves over the Aussie Alps. It won’t be a great day for our precious wee snowpack.

Friday 19^th June

Rain at times with strong northwest winds. Temperatures will gradually cool, with snow falling on the very tops above 2000m through the second half of the day.

Extended Forecast

We’ll continue to see rain and high-altitude snow through Saturday the 20^th, with a few leftover showers on Sunday the 21^st, as a low-pressure system passes underneath us. We were hopeful this storm would produce more, but snow levels are now likely to stick above 1800m. Beyond this, our next chance for some snow is around Friday the 26^th June, but even this far out, it doesn’t look like much. Fingers crossed models are wrong, and things change.

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 Wednesday.

Grasshopper

New Zealand Forecast –  Fresh Snow & Cold Temps Next Few Days, Will It Be Enough?

Published early Monday, 15^th June 2026

Kiwi ski fields endured some more rain and warm temperatures over the last few days as they remain in a holding pattern, waiting for conditions to improve. Coronet Peak kept its learner slopes running, while The Remarkables, Cardrona and Mt Hutt are hoping to open this Saturday, the 20^th of June.

Fortunately, a couple of cold fronts will cross the South Island this week and deliver snow and cold temps, bringing those hopes closer to reality. Canterbury ski fields should score about 10-25cm on Monday, and then the Southern Lakes 5-15cm Tuesday night, with the snow guns also running for long periods.

However, warmer northwest winds and rain developing on Friday will hit this improved snowpack, making it touch-and-go for Opening Day. So keep your boots and poles crossed that there’ll be enough to get us over the line.

Monday 15^th June

A cold front that passed over the Southern Lakes overnight will continue northwards over Canterbury during the morning. Rain will quickly turn to snow as cold air from the south floods in. Snow will fall throughout the latter half of the day as snow levels continue to drop, eventually reaching as low as 800-900m before clearing overnight. Totals of around 10-25cm are expected for this event, which will go a fair way toward getting things rolling.

The Southern Lakes largely miss out on the snowfall event, apart from a dusting up high before the cold front clears during the wee hours before dawn. However, cold southerly breezes trailing the front will have the snow guns cranking and may bring a few light flurries.

Tuesday 16^th June

On the heels of the cold front, it’ll be a chilly start with some morning cloud, but mild west-to-northwest winds will quickly clear the skies and warm things up.

The next cold front crosses the South Island overnight, giving the Southern Lakes a nice shot of around 5-15cm of snow. The situation is more uncertain for Canterbury, but ski fields there are most likely to miss out, apart from a possible dusting up high for the Craigieburn Range.

Wednesday 17^th June

Cold southerly breezes should have the snow guns firing again throughout the day. Cloud will eventually clear the Southern Lakes, but it’ll remain in Canterbury with a few light flurries possible.

Thursday 18^th June

A nice, fine day with just a little cloud about the Southern Lakes. Light breezes from the west to northwest, and chilly temperatures early morning and at night should have the snow guns running.

Friday 19^th June

Strong northwesterlies develop, and then rain will spill over the Main Divide as then next front moves onto the lower South Island and stalls. The Southern Lakes will cop most of the rain, while winds will blow a gale in Canterbury. Temperatures will likely be too warm for snow and any snowmaking, so the snowpack will take a bit of a hit.

Extended Forecast

This weekend, Saturday the 20^th and Sunday the 21^st, the stalled front will be shoved northward by a cold, dry airmass from the southwest. Rescheduled Opening Day on Saturday could be a little rough, but conditions should improve throughout the day. It’s unlikely we’ll score any snow from this system, but temperatures should dip on Sunday, allowing the snow guns to fire back up.

Temperatures may remain cold for several more days, possibly till Friday the 26^th,  as a cold southwest flow gradually eases and high pressure builds across the country. We could see more unsettled weather at the end of next week, with the potential for snow, but we’ll have to wait until closer to the time before getting into the weeds.

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