Independent snow and weather reporting from the Nozawa Onsen region of Nagano New snowfall at base 30cm Snowfall at base this season 213cm Weather overview Bluebird Wind Moderate Temperature - Visibility Excellent Posted on Thursday 27th December 2012 This is an archived report. The latest Nozawa Now report can be found here . Going to keep it pretty brief today as have an important 'board meeting' to get to! Conditions are close on perfect today. We had another 30cm plus fall on us since about 3pm yesterday and it is a magical bluebird day in Nozawa. Quite cold too this morning. It snowed heavy all day yesterday and there was some great powder runs to be had yesterday but it was blizzard like conditions. Not for everyone. But today the wind has dropped now and the skies are blue. I may have said this before but it is the best day of the season so far! Guess it just keeps getting better. Get up there and enjoy it... Tomorrow will probably be more cloudy followed by a warmer weekend, and the chance of rain village level before it starts snowing again late Sunday into Monday. So says the current forecast. Lifts operating: All lifts operating except for Kandahar and Hikage No2 Pair B. Courses open: Most courses open, except: Kandahar West Kandahar East Mukoubayashi Official snow depths: Yamabiko 230cm Uenotaira 220cm Hikage 160cm Nagasaka 120cm Karasawa 75cm Official new snowfall: 35cm (Yamabiko) 45cm (Uenotaira) 25cm (Karasawa) Nozawa Now 2012-2013 season Data as of Thursday 27th December 2012 Total snowfall at base so far 213cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 15 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 40cm (on 24th December) November 2012 snowfall 3cm reported on 1 day December 2012 snowfall 210cm reported on 14 days Previous report Next report All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Nozawa Onsen. The 'new snowfall' number represents the amount of snow measured since the previous report. All opinions are those of the individual reporters. Information regarding ski area operations is manually checked every morning and is believed to be correct at the time of the report. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Nozawa Onsen region of Nagano New snowfall at base 3cm Snowfall at base this season 216cm Weather overview Mixed Wind Light Temperature - Visibility Shifting Posted on Monday 31st December 2012 This is an archived report. The latest Nozawa Now report can be found here . Woke up to snow falling lightly in the village this morning. Not sure what time it started but we got 10cm out if it up top and a few cm of snowfall down here in the village. Nice change after the rain we got hit with yesterday... not the best. It is colder this morning, around 0C at the moment. The sun is shooting through now at time so should shape up to a pretty reasonable day on the slopes. Yesterday the snow was decent up top but heavy going on the lower slopes and of course the rain did not help! The New Year crowd is in town but not as bad as previous years. Was at the Gondola at 11am and only a really short line and was flowing well. Temperatures should drop further tomorrow and snow clouds with us through this week. Anyway, get your dancing shoes on for tonight and look forward to seeing you on the slopes at Nagasaka or by the temple to bring in the New Year in Nozawa. Lifts operating: All lifts operating. Courses open: All courses open except... Kandahar West Official snow depths:: Yamabiko 190cm Uenotaira 165cm Hikage 95cm Nagasaka 80cm Karasawa 55cm Official new snowfall: 10cm (Yamabiko) 10cm (Uenotaira) 2cm (Karasawa) Nozawa Now 2012-2013 season Data as of Monday 31st December 2012 Total snowfall at base so far 216cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 16 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 40cm (on 24th December) November 2012 snowfall 3cm reported on 1 day December 2012 snowfall 213cm reported on 15 days Previous report Next report All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Nozawa Onsen. The 'new snowfall' number represents the amount of snow measured since the previous report. All opinions are those of the individual reporters. Information regarding ski area operations is manually checked every morning and is believed to be correct at the time of the report. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Nozawa Onsen region of Nagano New snowfall at base 60cm Snowfall at base this season 326cm Weather overview Moderate snow Wind Strong Temperature - Visibility Poor Posted on Friday 4th January 2013 This is an archived report. The latest Nozawa Now report can be found here . After yesterdays dump the snow has continued overnight delivering an additional 60cm of powder, much to the delight of everyone in Nozawa. This top up was needed and has returned Nozawa Onsen to the magical winter wonderland that we all know and love, with seemingly limitless fresh lines and many buried cars. Add 10cm more this morning since 8am. At the moment in Nozawa we have cold temperatures and continued snow falls albeit at a lesser intensity in comparison with the last 36 hours. There is also a bit of wind about today, but it is by no means strong. The Japanese new years holiday has finished and with most of the Japanese guest returning home the resort is markedly quieter. There should be few lift lines on the mountain today! It's weekend tomorrow though so we can expect some crowds. Snow showers should continue for the rest of the day before a return to clear weather. It should be a brilliant day on the mountain tomorrow with clear sunny weather, cold temps and very light winds forecast. Looking further ahead, we should see some more snow showers passing through the region on Sunday. Lifts operating: All lifts operating. Courses open: All courses open except Kandahar West Mizunashi A Official snow depths: Yamabiko 275cm Uenotaira 250cm Hikage 170cm Nagasaka 160cm Karasawa 140cm Official new snowfall: 60cm (Yamabiko) 60cm (Uenotaira) 50cm (Karasawa) Nozawa Now 2012-2013 season Data as of Friday 4th January 2013 Total snowfall at base so far 326cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 18 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 60cm (on 4th January) November 2012 snowfall 3cm reported on 1 day December 2012 snowfall 213cm reported on 15 days January 2013 snowfall 110cm reported on 2 days Previous report Next report All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Nozawa Onsen. The 'new snowfall' number represents the amount of snow measured since the previous report. All opinions are those of the individual reporters. Information regarding ski area operations is manually checked every morning and is believed to be correct at the time of the report. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Nozawa Onsen region of Nagano New snowfall at base 5cm Snowfall at base this season 346cm Weather overview Cloud, light snow Wind Light Temperature - Visibility Limited Posted on Thursday 10th January 2013 This is an archived report. The latest Nozawa Now report can be found here . Looking out the window in Nozawa this morning it seems the much anticipated fresh snow has arrived. Since last lifts yesterday we have had 15cm up top and 5cm in the village. There should be fun riding throughout the resort today, but likely there will be a bit of a dust-on-crust phenomenon occurring. The snowfalls will continue till sometime tonight so the riding should improve through the day. Yesterday was again very quiet on the mountain, but today looks like it will be busier with noticeably more cars making the way up to the car parks. Fresh snow can have that effect! Temperatures over the past few days have been relatively warm during the day and even up top the snow was getting heavy. It was foggy down to mid-mountain yesterday so the best riding was the spring-like snow down on the lower runs. Looking further ahead we have some variable weather on the forecast. Tomorrow there is a chance of morning snow showers and from then on there should be a clearing trend until the next possible snow around the 13th of the month. Lifts operating: All lifts operating except Yunomine Pair Mizunashi Triple Challenge Pair Utopia Pair Higake No2 Pair B line Courses open: All courses open except Kandahar West Official snow depths: Yamabiko 230cm Uenotaira 220cm Hikage 130cm Nagasaka 120cm Karasawa 90cm Nozawa Now 2012-2013 season Data as of Thursday 10th January 2013 Total snowfall at base so far 346cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 20 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 60cm (on 4th January) November 2012 snowfall 3cm reported on 1 day December 2012 snowfall 213cm reported on 15 days January 2013 snowfall 130cm reported on 4 days Previous report Next report All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Nozawa Onsen. The 'new snowfall' number represents the amount of snow measured since the previous report. All opinions are those of the individual reporters. Information regarding ski area operations is manually checked every morning and is believed to be correct at the time of the report. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Nozawa Onsen region of Nagano New snowfall at base 15cm Snowfall at base this season 341cm Weather overview Clear Wind Light Temperature - Visibility Excellent Posted on Saturday 5th January 2013 This is an archived report. The latest Nozawa Now report can be found here . Get the cameras out we have an absolute stunner here it Nozawa Onsen this morning! Light snow flurries continued overnight giving a minor top up to the cover out on the mountain. However the dawn saw the clouds part and give way to sun and some perfect blue skies. This is one of those days to remember with plentiful deep snow, minimal wind and excellent visibility. Yesterday saw continued moderate to occasionally heavy snowfalls but the extremely flat light made skiing outside the trees challenging, especially up high. Off piste chokingly deep powder limited skiing to steep areas with many riders became bogged down on the more moderate slopes. However snow quality was just about as good as it gets. From yesterday at 3pm until 8am this morning the resort was reporting 35cm of fresh snow up on Yamabiko with about 15cm of new snowfall on the lower slopes. Current forecast suggests a return to snow showers tomorrow before a period of variable weather the following few days. Lifts operating: All lifts operating. Courses open: All courses open except Kandahar West Mizunashi A Official snow depths: Yamabiko 275cm Uenotaira 260cm Hikage 160cm Nagasaka 145cm Karasawa 140cm Official new snowfall: 35cm (Yamabiko) 35cm (Uenotaira) 15cm (Karasawa) Nozawa Now 2012-2013 season Data as of Saturday 5th January 2013 Total snowfall at base so far 341cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 19 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 60cm (on 4th January) November 2012 snowfall 3cm reported on 1 day December 2012 snowfall 213cm reported on 15 days January 2013 snowfall 125cm reported on 3 days Previous report Next report All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Nozawa Onsen. The 'new snowfall' number represents the amount of snow measured since the previous report. All opinions are those of the individual reporters. Information regarding ski area operations is manually checked every morning and is believed to be correct at the time of the report. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Nozawa Onsen region of Nagano New snowfall at base 0cm Snowfall at base this season 341cm Weather overview Some cloud Wind Moderate Temperature - Visibility Moderate Posted on Tuesday 8th January 2013 This is an archived report. The latest Nozawa Now report can be found here . We woke to another clear blue day here in Nozawa Onsen. Again, the sunrise mountain alpenglow provided an impressive spectacle and cloud-free night ensured we have no new snow to speak of. The groomed runs should be firm and fast today with cold overnight temperatures and it’s still possible to find fresh tracks off-piste with a bit of a search. Yesterday was an extremely quiet day on the mountain and in the less frequented areas it was possible to have entire runs pretty much to yourself. Today looks like it will be another exceptionally quiet day with seemingly few day trippers making the journey up to Nozawa Onsen at the moment. Its looks like a few clouds should gather around the area this afternoon and a few flurries are not out of the question. Tomorrow should see snow showers and cold temperatures to top up the cover. Lifts operating: All lifts operating except Yunomine Pair Mizunashi Triple Challenge Pair Utopia Pair Higake No2 Pair B line Courses open: All courses open except Kandahar West Kandahar East Official snow depths: Yamabiko 240cm Uenotaira 230cm Hikage 150cm Nagasaka 140cm Karasawa 100cm Nozawa Now 2012-2013 season Data as of Tuesday 8th January 2013 Total snowfall at base so far 341cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 19 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 60cm (on 4th January) November 2012 snowfall 3cm reported on 1 day December 2012 snowfall 213cm reported on 15 days January 2013 snowfall 125cm reported on 3 days Previous report Next report All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Nozawa Onsen. The 'new snowfall' number represents the amount of snow measured since the previous report. All opinions are those of the individual reporters. Information regarding ski area operations is manually checked every morning and is believed to be correct at the time of the report. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Nozawa Onsen region of Nagano New snowfall at base 0cm Snowfall at base this season 341cm Weather overview Cloud cover, light snow Wind Light Temperature - Visibility Poor Posted on Sunday 6th January 2013 This is an archived report. The latest Nozawa Now report can be found here . It's a return to snowy conditions here in Nozawa Onsen this morning. After a spectacular clear starry night, a cloud front moved in around breakfast and we are currently experiencing some light snow which should continue for the rest of the day. There are still quite a few fresh tracks to be found around the resort if you know where to look and the skiing is excellent in all areas of the resort. Yesterdays partly cloudy blue skies and light winds prevailed throughout the afternoon. Cold temperatures ensured the snow remained in top quality even with the sun. Current forecast suggests tomorrow we should see a mixed bag in terms with snow showers and possibly even a bit of sun across the resort. The following day should deliver similar conditions. Lifts operating: All lifts operating. Courses open: All courses open except Kandahar West Kandahar East Mizunashi A Official snow depths: Yamabiko 250cm Uenotaira 240cm Hikage 150cm Nagasaka 145cm Karasawa 110cm Official new snowfall: 0cm (Yamabiko) 0cm (Uenotaira) 0cm (Karasawa) Nozawa Now 2012-2013 season Data as of Sunday 6th January 2013 Total snowfall at base so far 341cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 19 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 60cm (on 4th January) November 2012 snowfall 3cm reported on 1 day December 2012 snowfall 213cm reported on 15 days January 2013 snowfall 125cm reported on 3 days Previous report Next report All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Nozawa Onsen. The 'new snowfall' number represents the amount of snow measured since the previous report. All opinions are those of the individual reporters. Information regarding ski area operations is manually checked every morning and is believed to be correct at the time of the report. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Nozawa Onsen region of Nagano New snowfall at base 0cm Snowfall at base this season 376cm Weather overview Sunny and clear Wind Light Temperature - Visibility Excellent Posted on Saturday 12th January 2013 This is an archived report. The latest Nozawa Now report can be found here . After a couple of days with some snowfall, the weather has returned to intense sunshine here in Nozawa Onsen. Looks like a great day for skiing with the perfect visibility. Many of the well known areas became tracked out when the snowfalls stopped around lunchtime yesterday, however with a bit of exploration you would be sure to still find some untracked Nozawa powder. Conditions on the groomers will be fast early, but will soften in the afternoon with the warm temperatures forecast. The weekend crowds began to roll into the resort early this morning. It will be significantly busier than the past week up on the mountain but Nozawa has a pretty efficient lifting system so lines shouldn't be too bad. Yesterday was an awesome day on the mountain. Snowfalls persisted for most of the morning before the overcast conditions parted and gave way to some sun, although clouds lingered around the peak for most of the day. South facing slopes in the lower quarter of the resort developed a light crust during the afternoon however areas up high were fine. We are approaching one of the busier weeks of the season in Nozawa. The world-renowned Dosojin Fire Festival will occur on the 15th January (Tuesday) in Nozawa, and many people make the trip each year to witness the spectacle. It's well worth it. Preparations are already underway with the villagers carrying logs down the mountain to construct the centerpiece tower, which will be attacked with fire on the night of the 15th. Exciting stuff. The forecast has improved with the latest updates. We are now expecting a two day bout of warm weather before snowfalls and the cold returns the following days. Significant, quality falls are still looking possible of the 17th. Lifts operating: All lifts operating Courses open: All courses open except Kandahar West Kandahar East Official snow depths: Yamabiko 235cm Uenotaira 230cm Hikage 140cm Nagasaka 130cm Karasawa 100cm Nozawa Now 2012-2013 season Data as of Saturday 12th January 2013 Total snowfall at base so far 376cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 21 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 60cm (on 4th January) November 2012 snowfall 3cm reported on 1 day December 2012 snowfall 213cm reported on 15 days January 2013 snowfall 160cm reported on 5 days Previous report Next report All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Nozawa Onsen. The 'new snowfall' number represents the amount of snow measured since the previous report. All opinions are those of the individual reporters. Information regarding ski area operations is manually checked every morning and is believed to be correct at the time of the report. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Nozawa Onsen region of Nagano New snowfall at base 3cm Snowfall at base this season 379cm Weather overview Cloud, snow Wind Moderate Temperature - Visibility Limited Posted on Monday 14th January 2013 This is an archived report. The latest Nozawa Now report can be found here . It's snowing down in the village at Nozawa Onsen this morning! Light falls commenced in the early hours and have gradually increased in intensity producing a heavy dusting since then. 5cm of new snowfall reported by the resort on the upper slopes of the resort this morning. As expected, the temperatures are marginal this morning; the village is currently at 0C. With -5C up top, the snow should improve in quality around the higher reaches of the resort. The temperatures should continue to drop throughout the day as snowfalls persist. Yesterday was a very busy day on the mountain- the gondola lines were impressive during the morning rush. Today looks like crowds will be slightly less based on the amount of cars arriving to the village during the morning. Warm temperatures yesterday meant the snow was spring-like in quality, but still fun to ride in. During the evening a low level fog moved up the valley and the village was cloaked within a matter of minutes. In combination with the fire festival preparations, it made for an atmospheric experience. The logs were carried through the town yesterday and today should see the construction of the tower. Well worth a look for tired skiers and boarders taking break. Nozawa Onsen is set for it's Fire Festival tomorrow! The current forecast looks good for snowfalls throughout Japan, especially the 17th and 18th. After today's falls have subsided we should see a clear day on Wednesday, before a classic NW winter flow becomes established delivering a potentially sizeable dump. Lifts operating: All lifts operating Courses open: All courses open except Kandahar West Kandahar East Official snow depths: Yamabiko 230cm Uenotaira 230cm Hikage 130cm Nagasaka 120cm Karasawa 90cm Nozawa Now 2012-2013 season Data as of Monday 14th January 2013 Total snowfall at base so far 379cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 22 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 60cm (on 4th January) November 2012 snowfall 3cm reported on 1 day December 2012 snowfall 213cm reported on 15 days January 2013 snowfall 163cm reported on 6 days Previous report Next report All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Nozawa Onsen. The 'new snowfall' number represents the amount of snow measured since the previous report. All opinions are those of the individual reporters. Information regarding ski area operations is manually checked every morning and is believed to be correct at the time of the report. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Nozawa Onsen region of Nagano New snowfall at base 30cm Snowfall at base this season 376cm Weather overview Snow Wind Light Temperature - Visibility Limited Posted on Friday 11th January 2013 This is an archived report. The latest Nozawa Now report can be found here . Unexpectedly moderate snowfalls persisted overnight delivering an excellent surprise this morning. From last lifts till midnight last night we saw about 15-20cm gather on top of railings and by morning 30cm had accumulated in the village, with even more up high. It looks like there should be some outstanding and deep riding on offer today. A clearing trend is expected during the day, but this is hard to imagine as the snowfalls show no signs of letting up. Like the past week crowds are looking like they will be minimal. Yesterday there were many happy faces on the mountain with knee-deep snow through the trees and tiny crowds. There were perfect conditions for practicing riding in the powder, as it was still easy to feel the solid base beneath. The trees were really the place to be with the limited visibility and plentiful fresh. Looking further ahead, the current forecast is very unusual for this time of year. We are expecting some spring-like conditions for at least the next three days. Light snow is possible on Saturday night, but the temperatures are quite warm with a freezing height hovering around 400-800m above sea level. The next chance for a good solid dump is looking like it may occur around the 17th. Lifts operating: All lifts operating except Yunomine Pair Mizunashi Triple Challenge Pair Utopia Pair Higake No2 Pair B line Courses open: All courses open except Kandahar West Official snow depths: Yamabiko 250cm Uenotaira 240cm Hikage 160cm Nagasaka 150cm Karasawa 110cm Nozawa Now 2012-2013 season Data as of Friday 11th January 2013 Total snowfall at base so far 376cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 21 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 60cm (on 4th January) November 2012 snowfall 3cm reported on 1 day December 2012 snowfall 213cm reported on 15 days January 2013 snowfall 160cm reported on 5 days Previous report Next report All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Nozawa Onsen. The 'new snowfall' number represents the amount of snow measured since the previous report. All opinions are those of the individual reporters. Information regarding ski area operations is manually checked every morning and is believed to be correct at the time of the report. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Nozawa Onsen region of Nagano New snowfall at base 10cm Snowfall at base this season 399cm Weather overview Clear Wind Light Temperature - Visibility Good Posted on Wednesday 16th January 2013 This is an archived report. The latest Nozawa Now report can be found here . It looks like we have a day of sun and picture perfect here in Nozawa Onsen. For those who are keen photographers; don't forget your circular polarizing filters for the blue sky! Ice frosted trees at Yamabiko always look great with blue sky backgrounds. We have some low lying fog in the valleys this morning so it should be quite a view up top with the cloud sea. Crowds have dispersed and with the abundant fresh snow, there is no doubt it will be a perfect day for skiing and boarding on the mountain. Yesterday was nothing short of outstanding. Crowd levels were low and snow continued for the whole day constantly refreshing tracked out areas. It the trees was as good as it gets with dry waist deep Nozawa powder. Fresh tracks were easy to find even on the last runs of the day. What more could you want!? The fire festival kicked off early last night and provided an amazing spectacle for the hundreds who attended and took part. The viewing areas were jam-packed - just as well as it was a very cold and snowy night. Sake was free-flowing all night so there will be a few sore heads around town this morning. The forecast is looking good and now since it is within 72 hours, probably quite accurate. We should see sun most of today before clouds move back in overnight. Following this three days of snow cold temperatures are set to move over the region with a classic winter NW airflow moving off Siberia. Time to get out there! Lifts operating: All lifts operating except Yunomine pair Mizunashi triple Challenge pair Utopia pair Higake Number 2 B line Courses open: All courses open except Kandahar East Official snow depths: Yamabiko 280cm Uenotaira 250cm Hikage 160cm Nagasaka 160cm Karasawa 105cm Nozawa Now 2012-2013 season Data as of Wednesday 16th January 2013 Total snowfall at base so far 399cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 24 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 60cm (on 4th January) November 2012 snowfall 3cm reported on 1 day December 2012 snowfall 213cm reported on 15 days January 2013 snowfall 183cm reported on 8 days Previous report Next report All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Nozawa Onsen. The 'new snowfall' number represents the amount of snow measured since the previous report. All opinions are those of the individual reporters. Information regarding ski area operations is manually checked every morning and is believed to be correct at the time of the report. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Nozawa Onsen region of Nagano New snowfall at base 10cm Snowfall at base this season 389cm Weather overview Heavy snow Wind Strong Temperature - Visibility Poor Posted on Tuesday 15th January 2013 This is an archived report. The latest Nozawa Now report can be found here . Last night a lightning active thunderstorm moved over the resort producing strong winds in some areas of the mountain. That probably marked the beginning of the frontal system that has delivered much colder temperatures and heavy snow across the resort this morning. With the wind about at the moment, it will be very cold up there, so make sure to put on an extra layer if heading up. 20cm of snowfall since yesterday afternoon up at Yamabiko. Yesterday saw snow continue in Nozawa Onsen, however it was somewhat wet with warm temperatures across the mountain. It didn't rain, but temperatures stood at around +2C in the village for most of the day. Up high saw cooler temperatures around -4C, which meant there was some "Australian powder" on offer. There was also some wind at the top creating some fun blown ridges to ride along. Crowds were down on the past few days as most people have headed home at the end of the Japanese holiday. The Fire Festival is on today. One of the most well known of it's kind in the world. Definitely worth checking out the spectacle. On the forecast front, snow should abate through the day before clearing completely some time during the afternoon. Tomorrow should see blue skies and light wind, a great day for fair weather skiers. The 17th and 18th still look good for some classic Japan powder. Lifts operating: All lifts operating except Yunomine pair Mizunashi triple Challenge pair Utopia pair Higake Number 2 B line Courses open: All courses open except Kandahar East Official snow depths: Yamabiko 260cm Uenotaira 230cm Hikage 135cm Nagasaka 130cm Karasawa 100cm Nozawa Now 2012-2013 season Data as of Tuesday 15th January 2013 Total snowfall at base so far 389cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 23 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 60cm (on 4th January) November 2012 snowfall 3cm reported on 1 day December 2012 snowfall 213cm reported on 15 days January 2013 snowfall 173cm reported on 7 days Previous report Next report All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Nozawa Onsen. The 'new snowfall' number represents the amount of snow measured since the previous report. All opinions are those of the individual reporters. Information regarding ski area operations is manually checked every morning and is believed to be correct at the time of the report. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com