Nice and sunny out there today. Yesterday's snow has really settled nicely, so hopefully things are a little more stable off in the backcountry.

Back to snow that exceeds expectations: I seem to remember the forecast was for 20 to 40cm, we got 56cm.

Sorry to be late this morning; Lots of blowing snow and wind meant a car that needed to be yanked out of a drift.... And the usual hours of fun digging things out.

Well, it's started. Not a huge amount yet, exactly in the middle of Niigata Prefecture's forecast of 20 to 40cm by 9 am this morning (at 32cm).

A break in the snowfall....until I was finished checking for this morning, of course!

A lot of lightening and thunder last night, a sign that snow would be falling.

Sunny and cold to start the day, although it will be getting warmer through the day.

More snow! More than expected!

Lots of snow today. Lots of wind last night, too,

I don't want visitors to think this is normal, but the sun is out again. I keep telling people that there are many Januarys where there is almost no sun.

A pretty nice snowfall overnight, with a total of 34cm of fresh on the ground this morning.

Sunny this morning, but with a few clouds starting to drift in over the mountains.

It was raining in the late afternoon and evening last night, but it's nice light powder today. And lots of it.

This is just to keep a track of snowfall with 5cm added.