It has been quiet here since last weekend. The Chuo Number 1 lift and Utopia Number 1 lifts hope to be re-opening from tomorrow.

Hello and welcome to Zao Now for the 2013-2014 snow season. Let's hope it's an wonderfully snowy one.

With sprinklings of snow on the upper parts of the mountain even into May, 2012/2013 has been an odd season in some respects.

The snow isn't giving up just yet it seems! A few cm yesterday morning and while no new snow this morning it is keeping cold.

It's good news this morning for snow fans in Zao.

It's like a return to winter.

Quite a cold night and this morning it is -1 degree at village level. The sun is out and we have blue skies over Zao Onsen this morning and so I expect it to get a fair bit warmer.

Last day of the season for a number of lifts - 11, actually... as noted below. Then we are on a more limited basis but still quite a large area of the upper mountain.

We are back to lovely again this morning with some really nice blue skies appearing as the snow clouds move on from earlier.

Well this morning it's a return to winter like conditions in Zao with colder temperatures across the mountain.

Yesterday was a fine day in Zao and this morning we have another clear start to the day - this time without any clouds at all.

Negative numbers it is! And actually it's pretty cold this morning, it feels like we are back in winter again.

Back to very un-winter like this morning as the thermometer was at 7C even a few hours ago.

5cm of new snow overnight and after the winds of yesterday, glad to report only a light wind this morning and all of the mountain back open.