Watch how the storm finishes, not only how it starts. The headline number only helps once you know whether Sea of Japan storm flow is the pattern to watch. With a 520 to 1000 metre elevation band and 480 metres of vertical, the gladed pockets are the first place to check once the groomers get tracked. A seasonal baseline around 10 metres means moderate-looking totals can still refresh the main lines quickly. The swing variable is the overnight low, especially if the storm clears before first lifts. With patrol boundaries in play, focus on how the inbounds snow will hold through the first half of the day. Chase it when 10 to 20 cm arrives cold overnight; skip it when warmth follows close behind.
See which resorts in Niigata are getting the best 24 hour totals and the next two days of snow.
