Read the freezing level before the snowfall total. The headline number only helps once you know whether cold inland air is the pattern to watch. With a 340 to 1023 metre elevation band and 683 metres of vertical, the trees and upper storm laps hold soft snow well after the open faces are worked. A seasonal baseline around 10 metres means moderate-looking totals can still refresh the main lines quickly. The swing variable is whether the snow line stays below the 340 metre base through the storm. Use the access rules on the day as the limit, then let the wind and temperature decide how far to push it. Chase it when 10 to 20 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.
