Read the freezing level before the snowfall total. When northwest flow off the Sea of Japan is the pattern to watch, the live numbers usually matter most in the first lift window. With a 400 to 1156 metre elevation band and 756 metres of vertical, the trees and upper storm laps hold soft snow well after the open faces are worked. A seasonal baseline around 15 metres means the headline numbers can be real storm signals rather than background noise. The swing variable is whether the snow line stays below the 400 metre base through the storm. If gates are part of the day, treat wind and visibility as decision-making numbers, not small print. Chase it when 15 to 25 cm lands cold to the base; skip it when the forecast shows a warm lower mountain.
See which resorts in Hokkaido are getting the best 24 hour totals and the next two days of snow.
