tripler 0 Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 Is there a website with free historical snow data for Japan? I know about Now reports on here but there's nothing since 27 Nov for Hakuba despite last night's snowfall. From the webcam it looks like 1 or 2cm at the top of the gondola. I'm particularly interested in finding out early in the morning how much it snowed last night to decide whether it's worth heading up. Link to post Share on other sites
best skier in hakuba 5 Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 It has been pissing it down since last night. Not much snow on the mountains. I would forget about this weekend. Link to post Share on other sites
SnowJapan Admin SnowJapan 178 Posted December 4, 2009 SnowJapan Admin Share Posted December 4, 2009 What is it that you want tripler? Historical snow data, or data for early this morning? Your post confuses me. There will be a Hakuba report going up today with the latest - and there always will have been a report if and when anything significant happens in this very early part of the season. You might have noticed that the season hasn't started yet. Once the snow arrives and things get going then the reports will be kicking into daily gear. If anyone knows of a "free historical snow data website for Japan", please contact me about it by email. Don't post it here. Thanks. Link to post Share on other sites
tripler 0 Posted December 4, 2009 Author Share Posted December 4, 2009 bummer... Was exciting to see it changed from brown to white on the gondola webcam this morning. Link to post Share on other sites
tripler 0 Posted December 4, 2009 Author Share Posted December 4, 2009 Originally Posted By: SJForums What is it that you want tripler? Historical snow data, or data for early this morning? Your post confuses me. Doesn't historical snow data just mean recorded snowfall as opposed to forecasts? But what interests me at the moment is very recent historical data, like how many cm's fell last night. Got a feeling that on the snow-forecast website last season you could see historic data but can't find anything like that there now. Link to post Share on other sites
SnowJapan Admin SnowJapan 178 Posted December 4, 2009 SnowJapan Admin Share Posted December 4, 2009 Like I said, there should be a report today. If there has/had been significant snow in this pre-season period, we will have posted a report. Once the season starts, the reports will get to daily. The season has not yet started in Hakuba. Our daily snow depth data that we provide each season will begin updating soon and we will post when that happens. snow-forecasts do forecasts, not historical snow depths. Their forecast data, along with those snow depth data, is displayed on our resort pages of this site for most major resorts. Here is the page for Happo, with the forecast and predicted snow for the coming 6 days, updated multiple times daily: http://www.snowjapan.com/e/resorts/resortdetail.php?resid=65 As the forecast stands now, in the coming 6 days they have a total of 0cm of snow forecast for the base of Happo and a total of about 5cm of snow at 1831m. That is all free, to you. Link to post Share on other sites
best skier in hakuba 5 Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 Originally Posted By: best skier in hakuba It has been pissing it down since last night. Not much snow on the mountains. I would forget about this weekend. Link to post Share on other sites
korbzy 0 Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 hopefully things pick up by christmas time because hakuba looks really poor atm, compared to all the other years hakuba normally has about 50cm+ at top and atm there is only a few cm :S Link to post Share on other sites
NoFakie 45 Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 Originally Posted By: Korbzy hopefully things pick up by christmas time because hakuba looks really poor atm, compared to all the other years hakuba normally has about 50cm+ at top and atm there is only a few cm :S Yeah, there's no snow in Hakuba atm. Its pissing down with rain as best skier keeps saying. However, your "all the other years" comment is wrong, because we've had the first snow much later than this a few times in the past nine years. Even that's only a sample of nine. When you have to go to Tsugaike on Christmas Eve to ride the upmost main course (skiers right from gondola top) and can only ride about 300 meters of a maybe seven degree course past eight movable snow machines that are on during the day and blowing "snow" into your face as you go past, that is a "really poor" start in my book. It's only a forecast, but initial signs are good for snow from about the 12th onwards. Link to post Share on other sites
korbzy 0 Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 Originally Posted By: Mr Wiggles Yeah, there's no snow in Hakuba atm. Its pissing down with rain as best skier keeps saying. However, your "all the other years" comment is wrong, because we've had the first snow much later than this a few times in the past nine years. Even that's only a sample of nine. When you have to go to Tsugaike on Christmas Eve to ride the upmost main course (skiers right from gondola top) and can only ride about 300 meters of a maybe seven degree course past eight movable snow machines that are on during the day and blowing "snow" into your face as you go past, that is a "really poor" start in my book. It's only a forecast, but initial signs are good for snow from about the 12th onwards. I was only lookin back 3-4 years but im sure it will be a great season, as long as its better then the Australian snow then I won't be dissapointed. And im stuck with teaching my gf how to ski as it will be her first time lol Link to post Share on other sites
Thundercat 60 Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 I agree with Mr. Wiggles. My experience is that you are tempting fate expecting snow in Hakuba at Xmas time. Over the years I'd had more bad experiences than good at that time of the season. A few years ago my winter holidays got bumped ahead by a week. Usually, I'm off from about the 15~16th of December each year now. To make the most of my early start I always head to Hokkaido. Link to post Share on other sites
tripler 0 Posted December 4, 2009 Author Share Posted December 4, 2009 Originally Posted By: Mr Wiggles When you have to go to Tsugaike on Christmas Eve to ride the upmost main course (skiers right from gondola top) and can only ride about 300 meters of a maybe seven degree course past eight movable snow machines that are on during the day and blowing "snow" into your face as you go past, that is a "really poor" start in my book. Which year was that, Mr Wiggles? Link to post Share on other sites
Oyuki kigan 0 Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 Until yesterday, there was almost no snow to the top of Happo, but this morning it was down to below the top of the gondi Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 Originally Posted By: Black Mountain I agree with Mr. Wiggles. My experience is that you are tempting fate expecting snow in Hakuba at Xmas time. Over the years I'd had more bad experiences than good at that time of the season. A few years ago my winter holidays got bumped ahead by a week. Usually, I'm off from about the 15~16th of December each year now. To make the most of my early start I always head to Hokkaido. not true, usually in Hakuba you can get 50-150cm dumps. 2,3,4 and 5 years ago, we were getting some pretty huge dumps at Xmas. FTs place was buried up to the roof. Link to post Share on other sites
NoFakie 45 Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 When it falls early, its great. December is a gamble for overseas folks, but if they get lucky, the payoff is really big. No tourists and no patrol. Every time is snows early, half this forum seem to sit back and say "Well I'm going when there is more snow" even though every Now! report will be screaming snow snow snow! Some thing they may not be saying so much when peak season comes around. That really bad start was December 2004. It finally started snowing like mad on Christmas Day. Link to post Share on other sites
korbzy 0 Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 I was actually told it was very good to go around late december, in australia they even had hakuba specials for december the 5th.. i didn't realise that its actually better to go late january or even hakkaido. im never going to believe any travel agents anymore >.> i guess i will have to make the most of it even if its little snow. Link to post Share on other sites
NoFakie 45 Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 Hey Korbzy It's still early days brother! Everything can change very fast. One storm and away we go! That said, I doubt it'll be fast enough for anyone sold a Dec 5th package to Hakuba. I guess they'll be shuffled off to the snow monkeys and then Matsumoto Castle. They're interesting places, but maybe not when you've been sold powder freshies. The weather has been kind of unpredictable in recent years, so its hard to know when is the best time to go. Last season it would have been the last few days of March! Link to post Share on other sites
tripler 0 Posted December 5, 2009 Author Share Posted December 5, 2009 Not sure March would have been the best value last year, though that late dump was very welcome. A week in late December or January would be my recommendation for the 2008-9 season, if you have a time machine. Link to post Share on other sites
Thundercat 60 Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 Originally Posted By: Creek Boy not true, usually in Hakuba you can get 50-150cm dumps. 2,3,4 and 5 years ago, we were getting some pretty huge dumps at Xmas. FTs place was buried up to the roof. Sorry CB, even just by looking at the reports from this site for Xmas day you can see: last year -10-25 cms at base (patchy, almost unskiable) 2 years ago - 60cms at base (rain the previous night, spring conditions) 3 years ago - 15cms at base (limited lifts, man-made snow) 4 years ago - 175cms at base (awesome year, I was there, lucky me ) 5 years ago - 45cms at the TOP (no report for base coz there wasn't one, limited lifts, man-made snow) I realize you said Hakuba 'can' get 50-150 cms 'dumps' but I would say, without a doubt, (through personal experience and the data on this site) that the odds are not in your favour if you choose to go that early in the year. Even years that there has been more snow, previous to 5 years ago, it came all at once right on or just before Christmas day. Looking at that kind of data anyone coming from overseas should set their expectations pretty low or risk getting set up for disappointment (especially compared to what we all know is possible for that area). I love Hakuba and have been lucky there plenty of times with amazing snow (New Year's '07-'08 was amazing... about 150cms in 3 days) and think everyone should go there for a surreal Japanese ski experience, but it's better to be realistic about the conditions. I always save my trips to Nagano until Jan. or Feb. now to maximize my chances for good conditions but since my main holiday is from the 16th of December until the 10th of January choosing to go to Hokkaido early in the season is the only way I can be sure to make the most of my winter. That being said we were getting rained on in Hokkaido last year at that time so nowhere is perfect !! Link to post Share on other sites
tripler 0 Posted December 5, 2009 Author Share Posted December 5, 2009 Originally Posted By: Black Mountain Originally Posted By: Creek Boy not true, usually in Hakuba you can get 50-150cm dumps. 2,3,4 and 5 years ago, we were getting some pretty huge dumps at Xmas. FTs place was buried up to the roof. [...] 2 years ago - 60cms at base (rain the previous night, spring conditions) Maybe CB was confusing christmas eve with new year's eve. I see from my photos that the first proper dump was on new year's eve, though the whole resort was skiable on the 20th (when I arrived), which it wasn't last season. First proper dump last season was on the 26th of December (ie. earlier than 07-08) BUT it was on a resort in much worse shape snow-wise than the same time the previous season. Link to post Share on other sites
Thundercat 60 Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 Whao, just noticed Korzby's post at 3:30pm. I don't want to deter you from going to Hakuba mate. It's an awesome place with some of the best terrain I've skied or boarded. Just have realistic expectations. When it dumps there you're in for a treat. I'm spoiled for choice because I don't have far to travel so I'm pickier than most when it comes to my winter sports. Hakuba area was my introduction to skiing and snowboarding in Japan so it'll always have a place in my heart! I haven't been since the big dump at the end of December '07 but just booked a holiday there in Feb. this season. Hoping it's going to be the highlight of my winter . Link to post Share on other sites
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