La Nina

[weeksy81 0]

Passed through Hakuba in April a couple of years back and have been planning on returning for a real Japanese powder experience (rather than Spring slush).

 

Have been reading more and more about the possibility of it being a 'La Nina' year - just wondered if anyone knows whether this is likely to result in an epic powder year or one to give a miss

 

Thanks in advance

[Mintyjulep 0]

I'm interested to know this too! But I have a niggling feeling that La Nina and El Nino do not affect Japans snowfall because those weather patterns are based in the pacific ocean and Japans snow comes from Siberia

 

or have I got it wrong?

[Slippery Jim 65]

According to most of what I've read Japan's snow season isn't greatly affected by Nino/Nina. Tony Crocker probably has some of the best data on the effects of that pattern. Google his name to find.

[panhead_pete 27]

Hopefully we will get what Chile etc are getting now.

[Jynxx 4]

South America getting heaps?

[panhead_pete 27]

Gettn smashed. Been on the news here. Backhoes clearing roads 4ft deep buried etc etc. Most snow in years....

[Jynxx 4]

Should go there Pete if your company's paying.

Fly to Miami. Cheap tickets from there. Brazil transit for example.

[Go Native 70]

Found some papers from Chinese researches that suggest that there is a pretty strong link between the East Asian winter monsoon and ENSO. In years where a La Nina pattern is well established prior to winter the winter monsoon is usually stronger than usual which should mean more snow. Strange things have been happening with climate though in recent years so we'll just have to wait and see what happens.

[panhead_pete 27]

Thanks Jynxx but have locked in Thailand and Bali. Additional flight costs etc proved too high for Sth America. Saving for the land and house to make the Japan dream come alive.

 

GN lets hope that happens.

[best skier in hakuba 5]

Originally Posted By: Go Native

Found some papers from Chinese researches that suggest that there is a pretty strong link between the East Asian winter monsoon and ENSO. In years where a La Nina pattern is well established prior to winter the winter monsoon is usually stronger than usual which should mean more snow. Strange things have been happening with climate though in recent years so we'll just have to wait and see what happens.

Sounds encouraging!

[weeksy81 0]

Have done a little more research and found the following image of areas and affects caused by La Nina between Dec and Feb

 

 

Also, the following (between June-August) backs up what was mentioned about the season so far in Chile

 

 

Fingers crossed Japan is going to have a good one

[ILoveZao 8]

Hope so.

I don't take much noticed of this kind of thing though.

Not yet anyway.

[SantaCruz 0]

http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/enso_advisory/ensodisc.html

 

Synopsis: La Niña conditions are expected to strengthen and last through the Northern Hemisphere winter 2010-11.