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Zao Now: Sunday 15th December 2013

  • Dec 15, 2013
  • 2 min read

Updated: Oct 2, 2025

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Zao region of Yamagata


New snowfall at base 20cm
Snowfall at base this season 120cm

Posted on Sunday 15th December 2013 This is an archived report. The latest Zao Now report can be found here.


Snow!


Yes the snow is continuing to fall here and there's another 20cm of it outside my place this morning, and perhaps a few more since then. Very cold again and mid winter like, though perhaps the snow is less peak season and more December like in that it's not top quality dry powder like we get a bit later on. Still, great snow conditions, lots of it and nothing to complain about. The last few days has been very good to Zao.


More of the resort open again today with one of the Kurohime quads moving as well as the Yokokura and Astraea lifts


Clearer conditions perhaps tomorrow and Tuesday. More snow mid to late week.


Official snow depths:

Utopia: 120cm

Chuo: 90cm

Paradise: 95cm

Uwanodai: 45cm


Operating lifts:

Ropeways and Gondolas

Onsen Number 1 pair

Onsen Number 2 quad

Onsen Number 3 parallel

Miaeri pair

Chuo Number 1 pair

Chuo Number 2 pair

Katakai triple

Diamond Number 2

Zao Paradise Pair

Shobunuma Number 1 triple / 2 pair

Yokokura Number 1 pair

Astraea Number 1 pair

Astraea Number 2 pair

Utopia Number 1 pair

Kurohime Number 1 quad


Zao Now 2013-2014 season

Data as of Sunday 15th December 2013 Total snowfall at base so far 120cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 8 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 30cm (on 12th December) November 2013 snowfall 12cm observed on 1 day December 2013 snowfall 108cm observed on 7 days




All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Zao Onsen. 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.


SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for.



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