Heavy snowfall!

Just how good are those words? Music to my ears.

Depending on where you are in Hakuba (and of course it is a fairly large area) - and how easily the strong winds have got to the snow and blown it about - you're going to have different stories and numbers this morning.

All of the numbers are nice and big, so at last it is a very good 'problem' to have!

But we can only go with what we experience first hand and here they are - up to a whopping 50cm in places around Happo village area, 30+cm close to Goryu base area, just under 40cm by Hakuba 47, and 32cm from our guy over near Cortina. As I said, it's windy down to village areas today and so that is also a factor this morning... and not only with the snowfall numbers but also the lifts (more on that later).

But anyway yes, the last few days we have seen decent amounts of snow fall and today is the best of the lot. It must have been dumping good and proper while we were sleeping, so much so that I wish I had stayed up to watch. It was really coming down earlier on when I first got up, less so as I write this report though snow is forecast to continue falling for the day and probably heavily at times.

Here are the 'new snowfall' numbers that resorts are posting this morning:

Hakuba Goryu: 15-40cm
Hakuba 47: 40-50cm
Hakuba Happo-one: 20cm
Hakuba Cortina: 30cm

An interesting array of numbers there, but again the wind has probably got hold of a few of those.

Talking about the wind, unfortunately it is affecting resort operations this morning and I have added resort specific details below.

The forecast remains good for regular snowfall through the week and more heavy snowfall perhaps around Sunday.

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Being very excited about all this fresh snow is great, but don't forget to be careful especially in these conditions.

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People who normally moan about shovelling snow are this morning doing their shovelling with big smiles on their faces. (Well, the ones who aren't permanently grumpy anyway).

Anyway. Once the storm moves on, I would imagine that resorts around the area will at last all be able to be operating at something like 'normal' status.

I'll try not to use the words 'at last' again, honest! ;)

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Resort news as of 8:50am on Wednesday 20th January 2015 (where available, all subject to change due to weather conditions)

Hakuba 47:
Hakuba 47 is reporting 40-50cm of fresh snowfall.
Currently the Line C and Line E lifts are on hold with Route 2 and 3 not open yet as they deal with the heavy snowfall.
Tree Riding Zone not yet open for the season.
Official snow depth:
Upper: 200cm
Base: 70cm

Hakuba Goryu:
Hakuba Goryu is reporting 15-30cm of fresh snowfall on lower areas and 40cm on upper areas.
All upper and Toomi areas are now normally open but strong winds this morning have the Alps Number 1 and 3 lifts currently on hold (and so the Panorama Course closed).
Most courses in the Iimori area are now open.
Lift info:
Wind affecting the Alps Number 1 and 3 lifts at time of writing.
Official snow depth
Alps: 195cm
Toomi: 85cm
Iimori: 100cm

Hakuba Happo-one:
Hakuba Happo-one is reporting 20cm of fresh snowfall this morning.
Strong winds are preventing the upper areas of the resort from opening this morning.
Good to see lower slopes available though!
Lift info:
Lower lifts currently operating are the Nakiyama Number 3, Shirakaba Number 1 and 2 pair lifts, Sakka Number 2 pair and Sakka Number 3 triple lifts.
Official snow depth:
Usagidaira: 165cm
Nakiyama: 55cm
Sakka: 30cm

Hakuba Cortina:
Hakuba Cortina is reporting 30cm of fresh snowfall.
All courses except Itadaria Ridge are now open.
Lift info:
All lifts apart from Number 7 pair plan to be operating.
Official snow depth:
Top: 170cm
Base: 105cm

Tsugaike Kogen:
Limited to lower areas today due to lifts being stopped by wind.
Lift info:
Only lower lifts open at the start of the day including just the lower section of the Gondola, due to wind conditions.
Official snow depth:
Tsuga-no-mori: 228cm
Maruyama: 50cm
Kane-no-naru-oka: 80cm

Hakuba Iwatake Snow Field:
Reporting up to 20-30cm of fresh snowfall.
Lift info:
Mountain Side lifts seem to be on hold at time of writing due to strong wind conditions.
Official snow depth:
Upper: 150cm
Lower: 50cm

Hakuba Norikura Onsen:
Official snow depth:
60cm
All lifts apart from Number 8 lift and 8 of the 12 courses are open at Hakuba Norikura Onsen.

Hakuba Sanosaka:
Official snow depth:
55cm
All lifts are operating though some courses are not yet open.