Will it be another epic winter in Japan this season?
Predicting the weather is a fool's errand at the best of times, but perhaps even more so when mountains are involved. However, there are some very positive signs pointing to this winter being another deep one in Japan, which is great news for all the visitors who have been kept out for the past couple of years!
La Nina
While the world was kept locked out for the past two seasons, Japan has experienced some all-time snowfall thanks to the "La Nina" weather phenomenon. And the good news is that weather forecasters around the globe are calling for a third La Nina winter in a row! This means cooler-than-average sea surface temperatures across the central and eastern Pacific Ocean near the equator which has historically meant colder temperatures in Japanese mountains. Which means only one thing... more snow!
Each year the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) releases a winter forecast that estimates snowfall, temperature, and sunshine. The good news is that as you can see from the map below, most of the ski resorts in Japan will likely receive 40%-60% more snow than "normal!"
Given than Japan has some of the snowiest resorts in the world, even a normal winter is considered epic... so if we see even more snow than normal it could be one for the record books!
Temperatures are also forecast to be lower than normal, so make sure you pack your thermals and get ready for more snow than you know what to do with whichever resort you are lucky enough to visit this year!
And once you fall in love with Japan's best ski resorts - search for your own dream home here in Japan using our lightning fast search portal!
