The PlanetSKI Snow Report
7th February 2025
Last modified on February 12th, 2025
We have the latest from the Alps and direct from Japan where there is double the amount of snow of anywhere else in the world. UPDATED
First the Alps where it is a bit mixed as the week gets underway.
“Most of any precipitation today is falling in the French and the western Swiss Alps, but it remains light and patchy with just a dusting of snow here and there above 1500m or so,” said Fraser Wilkin from weathertoski.co.uk on Monday.
“For most of the Alps it is a dry day though, with variable cloud cover and the best of any sunshine in the northern Austrian Alps, especially in the north-west (e.g. Arlberg).
“The weather in the Alps will remain rather variable for the rest of this week, with some sunny spells but also quite a lot of cloud and further showers or flurries in places, mostly in the west.”
“On Thursday a more active front may deliver a moderate fall of snow to some parts of the Alps, but this is by no means certain at this stage.”
And in Japan the huge amounts of snow continue to fall bringing problems as well as powder.
At least 160 people were stranded in northeastern Japan after an avalanche blocked roads leading to a resort in the Fukishima prrovince.
No one was trapped under snow, according to the report.
While authorities had cleared pre-dawn landslides that hit roads in the Tsuchiyu Onsen district, fresh landslides again blocked the roads.
Many parts of Japan have received record snowfall since early this month, disrupting daily life.
The Tokaido Shinkansen bullet trains in central Japan and Osaka have been operating at a slower speeds than usual due to the heavy snowfall.
The 6m depths in Japan are around double the deepest snow depths currently being reported in Europe and North America.
“It’s turning into a record-breaking winter here in Japan as the snow just keeps on coming,” said PlanetSKI editor, James Cove, who is in Japan for a month or so.
“We have been in the resorts in the Hakuba Valley on the main island of Honchu where more than 6m of snow has fallen so far this winter.
Hakuba Valley, Japan. Image © PlanetSKI
“Well over 1m since the couple of weeks we have been here,” James added.
“Next we are travelling north to Hokkaido where there have been similar amounts, if not more.”
Heavy snow is currently falling in the main city of Sapporo on Hokkaido with more coming down in the surrounding ski areas.
Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. Image © PlanetSKI
Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. Image © PlanetSKI
Look out for reports from Hokkaido from James later this week.
Here’s the Hakuba Valley:
The Hakuba Valley, Japan. Image © PlanetSKI
The Hakuba Valley, Japan. Image © PlanetSKI
Hakuba Valley, Japan. Image © PlanetSKI
“It’s been an absolute dream on the slopes, with countless riders coming down the mountain beaming with excitement,” a statement from the resort of Nozawa Onsen to the north of the Hakuba Valley.
“Beginners actually struggled a bit as there was too much powder.
“For most however with these epic conditions set to stick around for another week, the stoke is high.”
And here is James in the powder of the Hakuba Valley in the resort of Cortina:
See here for the latest post from the Hakuba Valley from James:
The Hakuba Valley, Japan. Image © PlanetSKI
He has now moved on to Tokyo:
Back in the Alps it is turning into a rather a good winter in places as the main February half-term holidays approach.
Nothing like Japan, but none too shabby.
Made even better for many as the RN90 road in the Tarentaise in France has re-opened after a recent rockfall.
Access to the ski resorts in the area is now back to normal.
Tignes, France. Image c/o Claire McAteer.
More to follow…
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