Read the freezing level before the snowfall total. The headline number only helps once you know whether northwest flow off the Sea of Japan is the pattern to watch. With a 260 to 1200 metre elevation band and 940 metres of vertical, the trees and upper storm laps hold soft snow well after the open faces are worked. A seasonal baseline around 17 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 260 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.
