Good morning from Zao Onsen and it's a chilly and cloudy one.

A brighter morning early on in Zao, though cloudier now than it was a while ago when I was first up.

After the clearer conditions we got yesterday this morning we are back to darker cloudier clouds hiding most of the mountain here in Zao.

10cm of new snowfall in Zao village area this morning and a chilly -7 degrees temperature.

Just a few more cm of snow this morning since last night but the winds were really blowing a gale yesterday and so there are places of deep snow and others where there's less, so care is needed out there.

While I only have a bit of snow to report, looking ahead we have a heavy snow warning in place in the region with lots of snow forecast for the next 24 hours and beyond.

While I only have a bit of snow to report, looking ahead we have a heavy snow warning in place in the region with lots of snow forecast for the next 24 hours and beyond.

Happy New Year! And a happy new year it is as well with 10+cm of fresh snow this morning in Zao.

Good news this morning, 30cm of new snowfall in Zao.

Good news this morning, 30cm of new snowfall in Zao.

Well, consistent snowfall I said yesterday but there's just a few cm of new snow to report this morning, so not as much as we were hoping for.

None of the heavy snowfall yet here this morning with just 1cm to report in Zao since yesterday.

Just a bit more snow since yesterday in Zao, but we're not complaining after the last few days.

Just a bit more snow since yesterday in Zao, but we're not complaining after the last few days.