Distant peaks and swirling clouds yesterday.
Base at top: 180 cm
Temp at Top: -7 Degree
Base at Uenotaira station: 140 cm
New snow since close: 45 cm
Weather: Light snow
Day number two of this run of snow and we have reached a total of (70cm) since last lifts on Monday. Overnight there has been 45cm fall at Yamabiko and about 30cm across the lower mountain. The freezing point has nosedived to just above sea level and is not expected to rise above this mark for the next seven days. I will be keeping a running tab of snowfalls for the next week on here. Keep an eye out for some impressive statistics!
It is some source of excitement waking to dead silence out the window and this morning has definitely been the case. Out the window we have some moderate flurries dampening any source of sound. Off in the distance road clearing tractors occasionally break the eerie auditory nothingness. Falls are expected to remain at this intensity for the rest of the day. Expect excellent conditions across the mountain with very light crowds; Nozawa Onsen is at its finest like this. Deep powder will be encountered off piste, not quiet bottomless but close to it. The groomers will be soft and silky smooth. Its hard to go wrong on any area of the mountain today although Yamabiko will be noticeably chilly.
Yesterday surprised us all. A bluebird powder day! Just after sunrise the wind shifted direction slightly, windward mountains blocking any source of cloud. It was a terrific day to be skiing and boarding. Distant peaks split bands of low cloud that meandered in the valley. The coastline off to the west was clearly visible. Yamabiko was the place to be early on, framed by ice dusted Birch, the snow quality was excellent and there were many playful hits amongst the trees. On the lower mountain the fresh snow was wet and heavy so it was really the upper mountain that offered the best skiing.
Wow! The forecast continues to impress. Every couple of hours I check the updates expecting to see some form of downgrade. It really does look too good to be true. Over the next six days snowfalls may account up to one third of the total average yearly snowfall for the entire year. Thats based off this current forecast. Crazy. Tomorrow we should expect a similar amount to fall to today. On Friday the intensity will really ramp up with nothing but heavy snow until Monday. Now its time to sit back and watch this thing unfold.
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