A cloudy start to the day here in Hakuba with very slight snow falling down lazily earlier on. A few resorts are reporting a bit of fresh snowfall - Cortina up to 5cm, 47 reporting 2cm up top - but generally no new snow to report this morning. The sun is even peeking through at times casting shadows in the village clouds are mostly covering up the upper parts of the mountains.

The mildish conditions continue and right now it is hanging around 0 degrees in the village. Up top at 47 a little earlier it was -4 degrees - at least it is on the right side of zero on the slopes. This evening should be a cold one though with temperatures dipping to around -7 degrees, to be followed by a day of sunshine and clearer skies tomorrow and a high of around +4 degrees in the village.

Monday and Tuesday are looking like days to forget and avoid if possible. Rain seems almost certain, heavy rain in fact, and possibly even right up on the mountains as well.... there's not going to be much escape from it by the looks of things. We need to look later on in the week for the chance of temperatures to drop and bring us more snow.

Anyway, for the moment early spring-like conditions out there, come with that in mind and have some fine fun. I'm certainly going to!

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Official snow depths and operations @ Saturday 3rd March 2012 AM:

Hakuba Goryu:
No new snowfall reported this morning. All lifts operating.
Official snow depths:
Alps daira - 280cm;
Toomi - 155cm;
Iimori - 115cm

Hakuba 47:
47 reporting 2cm of new snow up top this morning. All courses open though some restrictions due to a boarder-cross competition being held. The halfpipe re-opens today.
Official snow depth:
Upper - 233cm
Lower - 111cm

Happo-one:
Ski lifts/courses:
All lifts apart from Happo No1 pair are operating today.
Official snow depth:
Usagidaira - 190cm;
Sakka - 80cm;
Nakiyama - 80cm.

Tsugaike Kogen:
Official snow depth:
Upper slopes - 250cm
Champion - 180cm

Hakuba Cortina:
5cm of new snowfall on upper slopes and a few cm lower slopes at Cortina this morning. All lifts and most courses open.
Official snow depth:
Upper - 345cm
Lower - 205cm

Hakuba Norikura:
Official snow depth:
185cm

Hakuba Iwatake:
Official snow depth:
Upper - 175cm
Lower - 95cm

Hakuba Sanosaka:
145cm

Hakuba Minekata:
70cm