Tue Jan 19th

Since the last snowfall we’ve seen some fantastic conditions with Friday being the peak and freezing conditions over the last few days keeping everything fresh. Resorts have had great conditions especially the upper runs and the trees have been perfect. Freezing it was, -12 in the valley Saturday night, some of the coldest weather we have experienced for a long time. I have lived here for 3 years and it was the first night our shower hose and shampoo froze solid.

We had a bit of snow dust fall overnight, but weather reporters on the news have been forecasting a rise in temperatures this week with Tokyo set to hit March numbers (15 degrees odd), and already it is warming up here with water dripping off roofs and 5 degrees in the shade at 800m. Some precipitation is forecast for tomorrow night and looks like it may fall as rain with temperatures dropping again after that – though not as low as they’ve been – and snow forecast from Thursday/Friday.

Rain has become less and less of a rarity even this time of year the last few seasons, hopefully forcing even the most hard-headed to rethink their environmental footprints; but even so lets hope we get let off and don’t get hit too hard or that it falls as fluffy white flakes!

Weather conditions: Blue skies with some white clouds
New snowfall: 2/3 cm
Snow depth: 210 cm (Goryu base) 345cm (Goryu top)