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Looking through the SJ archives for this time of year over the past 7 or so years things are looking comparitively grim. The forecasts for the next 9 days dont look much better.

 

Is this the worst start to season in recent memory? Does it normally improve quickly come early January?

 

Either way, I wouldnt like to be heading up in the next 10 days or so.

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I'll handle this one.

 

>Is this the worst start to season in recent memory? Does it normally improve quickly come early January?

 

No not really. Two years ago winter was practically non-existent. And around 6 years ago Nagano didn't get a big dump until a week before Christmas and Niseko sucked until the day after Christmas which I remember well coz it was my first winter trip to Hokkaido. It improves quickly as soon as it starts snowing. When it goes off, it REALLY goes off.

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You might need to re-read some of those reports and remember that it is still 10th December.

 

It's not the best start for sure - there have been much better - but I don't think anything to be unduly worried about right now, even if the week forecast doesn't look too sexy right now.

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anyone travelling from abroad at this time of year is always risking the odds, sometimes they go for you, other times against. This year hasn't started well but as Muika says its only 10th of December

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It's been bloody good up here, despite the rain.

 

Numbers don't always tell the whole story.

 

I've measured 162cm so far on my plot in the backyard.

 

There are 20 days left in December. Plenty of time to get at least that amount again and be back on track for 'average' figures.

 

Take a look around the world and there are plenty of places that are FAR FAR worse than Hokkaido.

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There's good and bad and right now I'd just say it was a not particularly good start. Fact is, lots of people seem to have this "right, it's December, so it's the ski season" thinking going on though in fact - other than a very few resorts - most places really usually don't get going proper until mid or even late December. We're approaching mid-December of course, so lets hope that the weather patterns change soon. It often all comes in one big storm that transforms things.

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The monthly forecast for December was cold but its been well warm so far. The skies have been giving us rain not snow.

 

This forecast says it will turn cold before Christmas though. The mountains are colder and wetter than Nagano City, of course.

 

http://www.accuweather.com/world-forecast-15day.asp?partner=accuweather&traveler=0&locCode=ASI|JP|JA026|NAGANO&metric=1

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im in austria and people are saying the same.... they think that just because the last two winters the snow has come by the end november beginning of december that that is the norm. now that its coming closer to xmas and it hasnt been snowing constant everyone thinks its gunna be a bad winter. the best winters i remember where the ones that really kicked off in jan!

I'll be in hokkaido by the 10th jan... i certainly hope theres a good dump by then!!

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Is previous performance really a true indicator of future performance anyway?!?

 

I think we should all just focus on the positives, and maybe think back to the last time we didn't have 'perfect' conditions on the mountain!

 

For me...

 

I was in Niseko last Christmas and it only snowed I think once the entire week we were there... I still had a really great time exploring nice areas on the mountain, taking some really nice long trails down to Hanazono and just enjoying the long cruisy rides...

 

We found some nice little patches of deepish snow through some areas under the hooded gondalo above King Bell and just mucked around enjoying what was there...

 

It was a great holiday, and was the reason that I emailed my travel agent the afternoon I got back home and asked her to rebook for this year.

 

I'll be there on the 29th, snow or no snow... i'm still going to have a good time!!

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