Record Breaking Snowfall in Japan

Snow Report, Thursday 06 February 2025

In today’s report we catch up on conditions across Europe, North America and Asia with heavy snowfall on the West Coast of the United States and record breaking snowfall in Japan.

Where’s the snow going to land next? We’ve scoured the internet to give you the best recommendations.

Now on with the snow!

Snow Report

Our ‘on the snow’ reporters have been enjoying great conditions across the European Alps.

Pila Snow Report, Italy

Phil Brown from Impulse Ski Racing reports sunshine for the British Schools Alpine Championships at Pila.

Click here to book lessons with Phil and his team
https://www.impulse-racing.co.uk/

Spectacular sunrise turns at Passo Tonale, Italy

Passo Tonale Snow Report, Italy

Japan continues to get pounded with heavy snowfall, with much more on the way.

Luke continues to get the goods on his Japanese Odyssey

Hakuba Snow Report, Honshu, Japan

A record breaking 1.2m (4 ft) fell in just 12 hrs in and around the northern Hokkaido cities of Obihiro and Kushiro forcing resort closures from too much snow!

Obihiro Snow Report, Hokkaido, Japan

World Snow Forecast For The Next 3-4 Days

The Austrian resorts will see the freezing level drop from around 2,200m to below 1,000m through Monday with cloudy skies and a sprinkling of new snow.

It will be a similar situation in France, Italy, and Switzerland with the chance of 5-10cm in the Southern French resorts.

The exceptions are Limone and Prato Nevoso, Italy where 50-55cm and 80-85cm is forecast respectively.

After recent snowfall the Alps are skiing well heading into the February Half-Term holiday period, with the snow pack consolidating and the avalanche risk dropping.

Andorra and the French & Spanish Pyrenees will see a storm moving in Friday evening with 20-25cm

forecast across the region. Formigal, Spain could see 30-35cm.

Central and Eastern Europe will see clear skies and below freezing temperatures with sunshine through Monday.

Further east the Georgian and Turkish resorts will see temperatures between -5C and -10 C with 15-20cm forecast at Erciyes Resort, Turkiye.

The Nordic countries of Finland, Norway and Sweden will see continued cold temperatures and cloudy skies with Narvik, Norway expecting 40-45cm above mid-mountain.

The Alberta and British Columbia resorts of Canada will see sunshine and temperatures dropping as low as -20C. Don’t forget the face mask.

Temperatures will remain cold on the East Coast with 15-20cm forecast at Tremblant, Quebec.

Most of the western US resorts will see below freezing temperatures and 10-15cm of new snow. Jackson Hole, Wyoming could see 20-25cm.

The West Coast resorts of California will see a major storm system moving in today with up to 25-30cm forecast. This will be accompanied by high winds and heavy rain below 1,500m. Kirkwood could see 40-45cm.

Further north the Oregon and Washington resorts will see colder temperatures and 10-15cm of new snow through Monday.

Temperatures will remain cold on the East Coast with sunshine and 5-10cm forecast. Killington, Vermont could see 25-30cm of new snow.

The resorts on Japan’s main island of Honshu and the northern island of Hokkaido are getting pounded with record breaking storms. Over 1m has already fallen this week and there’s over 1m forecast through Monday.

Happo One in Honshu’s Hakuba Valley is expecting 1.8m!

Kiroro, Hokkaido is expecting 60-65cm.

Where To Ski

If you can drop everything and book a last minute trip then head to Limone or Prato Nevoso in Italy for a powder filled weekend.

Alternatively head to resorts in the Alps with skiing above 2,500m on north facing slopes.

Think Val d’Isere, La Plagne, Val Thorens, Engelberg, Saas Fee, Verbier, Solden, St Anton, Monte Rosa, and Passo Tonale.

The Turkish resorts are enjoying powder conditions the second half of the week, and it’s only a 3.5hr flight to Istanbul.

I’m heading to Uludag Resort near Istanbul today so look out for my take on all things Turkish in the next report.

Have the time to head further afield? Then it has to be the resorts on Honshu and Hokkaido, Japan which are experiencing record breaking snowfall.