Base up top: 430 cm Temp Top; -5 Degrees Base at bottom; 240 cm New Snow since close: 0 cm Weather; Clear Its a fine morning in Nozawa Onsen with clear skies, cool temperatures and a light breeze. No fresh snow to report overnight however plenty of stashes are left over from the dump we had yesterday. The snow quality should remain good all day with light dry and powdery in the morning, becoming slushier during the day as temperatures warm. Yesterday we saw some excellent quality snow fall on a variable frozen base layer so cautious skier was required in all areas to prevent coming unstuck. Nevertheless there were a few nice turns in tree areas such […]
Base up top: 430 cm Temp Top; -7 Degrees Base at bottom; 240 cm New Snow since close: 15 cm Weather; Light snow An unusually widespread blackout affecting the entire Nagano prefecture has temporarily disrupted operations this morning however as of 930am electricity has been restored along with normal lift operations. This is good as it will be a great day up on the mountain with 15cm of fresh powder recorded on the upper elevations since last lifts yesterday. Temperatures are cold and we are currently experiencing occasional patches of blue sky that will likely increase later in the day. Yesterday was better than expected. The forecast rain held off until about 3pm at the lower elevations and […]
The first day of spring
Base up top: 420 cm Temp Top; -3 Degrees Base at bottom; 250 cm New Snow since close: 0 cm Weather; Overcast Its the first day of spring and the atmosphere is showing some signs of spring riding on the slopes of Nozawa Onsen today. With the freezing level sitting at around 1000 meters the temperatures are warmer today and the typical spring snow will be prevalent across the resort; expect firm and fast conditions softening by the afternoon. Shaded gullies will hold the best snow along with on piste areas. The park and pipe will also be particularly good, worth a look. It was great to get some fresh powder once again yesterday. With cold temperatures and […]
Base up top: 430 cm Temp Top; -9 Degrees Base at bottom; 235 cm New Snow since close: 20 cm Weather; Overcast Excellent winter weather has returned overnight to Nozawa Onsen. Since last lifts yesterday we have had 20cm of fresh powder recorded and very cold temperatures, dramatically improving conditions from the last week or so. Best to hit the slopes as early as possible today to avoid the 9am weekend gondola line and make the most of the fresh snow. All areas will be good including the groomed pistes and marked tree areas. Yesterday saw light snow fall for most of the day however a frozen base made conditions very challenging. Dust of crust was the words […]
Slushy Conditions Prevail
Base up top: 415 cm Temp Top; -1 Degrees Base at bottom; 240 cm New Snow since close: 0 cm Weather; Overcast Its an overcast mild morning in the township of Nozawa Onsen. This is a good thing. Today we should not expect the sheet ice layers that have taken over the upper mountain over the past few days but instead some nice soft slushy snow. The surface should remain relatively fast so long as the liquid precipitation stays away and humidity remains low, possible given the good visibility on the upper mountain. The Japan Uni Games are in progress in Nozawa Onsen this week and will continue over the weekend. Quite a spectacle is the huge ski […]
Sharp edges required
Base up top: 415 cm Temp Top; -6 Degrees Base at bottom; 245 cm New Snow since close: 0 cm Weather; Overcast With the summit of Mt Kenashi sitting at -6C we are back to near normal temperatures for this time of year in the Nozawa Onsen area. However a lack of fresh snow means conditions will be similar to your typical dry spell in other ski areas. Resort slopes are hard and icy on the upper mountain today and the lower slopes will be slushy but fast. Some sun will improve things however only brief patches of clear sky are forecast for today. Off piste areas should be avoided at all costs as they remain as chopped […]
Colder with possibility of snow
Base up top: 420 cm Temp Top; -3 Degrees Base at bottom; 250 cm New Snow since close: 0 cm Weather; Overcast Things have cooled off in Nozawa Onsen slightly today. Instead of Mt Kenashi summit temperature sitting well into the positives like yesterday it has dropped to -3C. Furthermore, the precipitation we experienced yesterday looks to have cleared for now as has the dense fog that hovered over the mountain yesterday. We can expect icy conditions today on the upper mountain, slushier down low. But at least the snow will be fast. Yesterday was pretty bad. Light rain stuck around for most of the day and all but the most well ridden pistes were sticky and wet. […]
Light Rain
Base up top: 430 cm Temp Top; 2 Degrees Base at bottom; 250 cm New Snow since close: 0 cm Weather; Showers With light rain showers meandering over Nozawa Onsen today marks a good down day to rest and recuperate. Overnight rainfall in combination with warm temperatures has turned the snow into moist slush that is sticky in all but the most well trafficked areas. Head up to Yamabiko for slightly better snow quality. Luckily the freezing level is forecast to decline later in the day and the rain will turn to snow above 1000 meters. The freezing level will remain at this elevation with isolated showers until Thursday when another spike in temperatures is predicted. Following this […]
A clear day for now
Base up top: 460 cm Temp Top; 1 Degrees Base at bottom; 280 cm New Snow since close: 0 cm Weather; Clear So far its a clear one in Nozawa Onsen with visibility as good as it gets. We have some high cirrus cloud beginning to move over the resort and while it looks spectacular, this tends to indicate approaching fronts. In combination we have some moderate breezes on the upper slopes, true mountain weather. Today the groomed runs will be the pick and these will be fast in the morning, becoming slower during the afternoon, particularly so if the forecasted precipitation eventuates. Yesterday we saw some of the best long range visibility all day. This is unusual […]
Bluebird Saturday
Base up top: 470 cm Temp Top; -7 Degrees Base at bottom; 295 cm New Snow since close: 0 cm Weather; Clear What a morning it is here in Nozawa Onsen. Light winds, a clear upper atmosphere and cold temperatures. We have some low cloud in the valleys that makes for a nice cloud sea backdrop from the summit but these are expected to dissipate. -7C at the summit, the temperatures are colder than expected and this will ensure excellent snow quality, at least before it warms later in the day. No fresh snow to report overnight. Yesterday the ample fresh snow saw very fun skiing and the groomed runs were superb in the morning before becoming choppy […]