Yuzawa Now: Saturday 26th December 2015
- Dec 26, 2015
- 3 min read
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Yuzawa & Minamiuonuma region of Niigata
New snowfall at base 4cm
Snowfall at base this season 23cm
Posted on Saturday 26th December 2015 This is an archived report. The latest Yuzawa Now report can be found here.
It's good to see some white again. Not a huge amount - just under 5cm outside here - but there will be more on the mountains. Kagura resort are reporting 10-15cm of fresh.
Yesterday was a mostly wet day again though it turned into sleet and snow later in the dark, with this snowfall overnight.
This morning there are actually blue skies in places and the sun is out. It's just over 0 degrees right now and will be getting a little warmer during the day today but hopefully not too much. Later on precipitation is due again... might start as rain here in town but should soon be snow.
Overnight tonight and tomorrow is still the period to look to for potentially heavy snow. It's still there on the forecast.
Resorts around town are taking things day by day now. For example, NASPA Ski Garden has announced that it plans to open on Monday (28th) - all being well with the snowfall tomorrow. I would expect similar plans at other resorts.
It all depends on how much snow falls. (Obviously!)
All we can do is wait. Or enjoy the resorts that remain open.
Evening update:
It has been an odd kind of day really here, with fine clear blue skies opening up during the daytime. The forecast was insisting it was going to be raining during the daytime, but at one point there was hardly a cloud in the sky. It was keeping on the mild side as well with a high of about 6 degrees around lunchtime.
This evening there's a few spots of rain but snow is apparently imminent. Looks like it might be early tomorrow morning when temperatures really take a decent drop. Up to 30cm of snow is expected higher up on the mountains and up to 15cm expected around Yuzawa and Minamiuonuma town areas. That is what is forecast up until 10am tomorrow morning and it should be snowing all day tomorrow. So things are looking promising.
Let's see how things are come report time tomorrow morning.
By the way, with Kagura currently the place where there's the most area open, they were really very busy today with overflowing car parks. Expect more of that tomorrow too and until there's more choice.
---
Resorts that are now at least part open (Saturday 25th December 2015) - subject to change:
Kagura
Almost all of Kagura is now open.
Both Ropeways (Mitsumata and Tashiro) are open and you can ski or snowboard from one to the other.
The only areas now closed at Kagura are the very top pair lift, one of the main Mitsumata slopes and the Mitsumata downhill course back to base.
Naeba
Lower Number 4 and 5 courses are open (with the help of artificial snow) and the upper Takenokodaira course is open (100% natural snow).
GALA Yuzawa
GALA Yuzawa is part open - the Melody and part of the Entertainment courses in the main Central Area are open.
Muikamachi Hakkaisan
The Technical course and Rakuraku A courses open with just two pair lifts operating (one to get to the open area).
Resorts on standby to open as soon as there is enough snow to open:
Chateau Shiozawa
Hakkaisanroku
Ipponsugi
Ishiuchi Maruyama
Iwappara
Kagura (Tashiro)
Kandatsu Kogen
Ludens Yuzawa
Muikamachi Ski Resort
Nakazato Snow Wood
NASPA Ski Garden
Yuzawa Nakazato
Yuzawa Park
Yuzawa Kogen
Yuzawa Now 2015-2016 season |
Data as of Saturday 26th December 2015 Total snowfall at base so far 23cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 3 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 15cm (18th December) November 2015 snowfall 0cm December 2015 snowfall 23cm reported on 3 days |
All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Yuzawa. The 'new snowfall' number represents the amount of snow measured since the previous report. All opinions are those of the individual reporters. Information regarding ski area operations is manually checked every morning and is believed to be correct at the time of the report.