Hokkaido snow report
Midweek storm first, a quiet spell, then more snow
Snow this weekWeek of 25 Oct 2026Forecast data as of 27 Oct 07:59 UTC
Next snow
Today
First day with measurable snow
Best snow day
Wed 28 Oct
Up to 11 cm at Niseko United
Most snow, 14 days
Kiroro
37 cm forecast in total
Coldest feels like
-17°C
Sahoro, Mon 9 Nov
By SnowStash· Reviewed by Michael Fulton· Updated 27 Oct 2026
A windy storm from Tuesday 27 Oct to Thursday 29 Oct brings the first real snow, with Kiroro and Sapporo Kokusai best placed. Gusts could reach 93 km/h on Wednesday 28 Oct, the biggest impact of the fortnight. A quiet spell follows, then lighter snow from Sunday 1 Nov and a colder storm around Sunday 8 Nov. Confidence is high early on and drops to low by the end.
Plan around it
When
Best snow day is Wednesday 28 Oct, with 11 cm at Niseko United; confidence is high.
Where
Kiroro, Sapporo Kokusai and Kamui Ski Links lead the 14-day totals, at 37 cm, 37 cm and 34 cm.
Watch for
Gusts of 93 km/h on Wednesday 28 Oct may close lifts; Monday 9 Nov feels like -17°C at Sahoro.
The next 14 days
Average day by day
Pick snow, temperature, freezing level or wind. The bar above the days jumps to each part of the story below.
Swipe sideways for all 14 days. Tap a day for the detail.
Storm: Tue 27 Oct - Thu 29 Oct
Windy storm opens the fortnight
The best snow falls around Kiroro and Sapporo Kokusai, each on 14 cm, with Niseko United close behind on 13 cm. The storm runs from Tuesday 27 Oct to Thursday 29 Oct and peaks on Wednesday 28 Oct. The regional average is 7.2 cm, but the spread is wide, from 0.1 cm at the least favoured resorts to 14 cm at the best. Precipitation falls over about 38 hours.
The freezing level ranges from 360 m to 1,680 m. At its lowest it is close to the valley floor, so snow could fall at low elevations. Rain could mix in at resorts whose listed elevation is below the freezing level, such as Sapporo Moiwa, Bankei Ski Area and Otaru Tenguyama.
The westerly flow is the main hazard. Gusts could reach 93 km/h, lifts are likely to close and visibility is likely to be poor. It feels like -13°C at Kiroro on Wednesday 28 Oct.
Best-placed resort
Across all resorts0.1 to 14 cm
White marker: regional average, 7.2 cm
0.5
Tue
27
5.7
Wed
28
0.9
Thu
29
Regional average by day (cm). The gold bar is the peak day.
Biggest totals
- Kiroro14 cm
- Sapporo Kokusai14 cm
- Niseko United13 cm
Typical high / low
3° / -3°C
Feels like -13° at Kiroro
Strongest gusts
93 km/h
Lift closures likelyPoor visibility likely
Snow or rain? Where the freezing level sits
Every resort at its listed elevation. Pick a storm day to see which stay above the freezing level.
Wed 28 Oct: the freezing level sits between 410 and 880 m (about 500 m on average). 7 of 15 resorts sit above it, 7 inside it, 1 below it.
Above the freezing level: snow is the likely outcomeInside the band: rain or a mix is possible at timesBelow the band: warmer airAverage freezing level
Bars rise to each resort's listed elevation. The band is the lowest to highest freezing level across resorts that day, so a resort inside it can see snow at some hours and rain at others. A guide, not a per-resort forecast.
Quiet: Fri 30 Oct - Sat 31 Oct
Mild, mostly dry break
Friday 30 Oct and Saturday 31 Oct are mostly dry, with only traces of snow. The best is 0.9 cm at Niseko United. It turns much milder, with highs near 10°C and lows around 0°C. The freezing level climbs as high as 2,350 m.
Westerly gusts reach 68 km/h, and lifts could be put on hold.
Snow
Dry
0.4 cm average across the region
Typical high / low
10° / 0°C
Freezing level
450-2,350 m
Height where the air hits 0°C
Strongest gusts
68 km/h
Lift holds possible
Light snow: Sun 1 Nov - Wed 4 NovModerate confidence
Colder snow returns with a wide spread
Snow returns from Sunday 1 Nov to Wednesday 4 Nov, peaking on Tuesday 3 Nov. Kamui Ski Links should do best with 19 cm, ahead of Niseko United on 11 cm and Furano on 8.3 cm. The regional average is 5.2 cm, so the gap between the best and the rest is large. Confidence is moderate.
The freezing level falls to 0 m at its lowest, close to the valley floor, so snow should reach low elevations. It rises to 1,370 m at its highest. Rain could still mix in at resorts whose listed elevation is below the freezing level, such as Sapporo Moiwa, Bankei Ski Area and Mount Racey.
Westerly gusts of up to 84 km/h mean lifts are likely to close, and visibility is likely to be poor. It should feel like -15°C at Kamui Ski Links on Wednesday 4 Nov.
Who gets the most
Total snow for this spell. The regional average is 5.2 cm, so where you ski matters.
- Kamui Ski Links19 cm
- Niseko United11 cm
- Furano8.3 cm
Typical high / low
2° / -5°C
Feels like -15° at Kamui Ski Links
Strongest gusts
84 km/h
Lift closures likelyPoor visibility likely
Quiet: Thu 5 Nov - Sat 7 NovLow confidence
Dry and very cold
From Thursday 5 Nov to Saturday 7 Nov the region may stay dry, with an average of only 0.2 cm. Confidence is low, so watch for changes. Highs are around 4°C and lows near -5°C. It could feel like -15°C at Niseko United on Thursday 5 Nov.
The freezing level could swing between 0 m and 1,980 m. South-westerly gusts could reach 73 km/h, and lifts could be put on hold.
Snow
Dry
0.2 cm average across the region
Typical high / low
4° / -5°C
Feels like -15° at Niseko United
Freezing level
0-1,980 m
Height where the air hits 0°C
Strongest gusts
73 km/h
Lift holds possible
Storm: Sun 8 Nov - Mon 9 NovLow confidence
Cold storm closes the period
Another storm may arrive on Sunday 8 Nov and Monday 9 Nov, peaking on Sunday 8 Nov. Confidence is low. Sapporo Teine could see 18 cm, with Kiroro and Sapporo Kokusai on 17 cm. The regional average is 9.9 cm, and the spread runs from 2.7 cm to 18 cm. Precipitation could last about 24 hours.
The freezing level may sit between 220 m and 1,920 m, close to the valley floor at its lowest, so snow could fall at low elevations. Rain could mix in at resorts whose listed elevation is below the freezing level, such as Sapporo Moiwa, Bankei Ski Area and Asarigawa Onsen. The northerly flow may bring poor visibility.
It could feel like -17°C at Sahoro on Monday 9 Nov. The cold favours snowmaking.
Best-placed resort
Across all resorts2.7 to 18 cm
White marker: regional average, 9.9 cm
5
Sun
8
4.9
Mon
9
Regional average by day (cm). The gold bar is the peak day.
Biggest totals
- Sapporo Teine18 cm
- Kiroro17 cm
- Sapporo Kokusai17 cm
Typical high / low
-1° / -8°C
Feels like -17° at SahoroGood snowmaking temps
Strongest gusts
54 km/h
Poor visibility likely
Snow or rain? Where the freezing level sits
Every resort at its listed elevation. Pick a storm day to see which stay above the freezing level.
Sun 8 Nov: the freezing level sits between 550 and 1,920 m (about 1,310 m on average). 0 of 15 resorts sit above it, 12 inside it, 3 below it.
Above the freezing level: snow is the likely outcomeInside the band: rain or a mix is possible at timesBelow the band: warmer airAverage freezing level
Bars rise to each resort's listed elevation. The band is the lowest to highest freezing level across resorts that day, so a resort inside it can see snow at some hours and rain at others. A guide, not a per-resort forecast.
The 14-day picture
Most snow, next 14 days
Total forecast snow across the whole fortnight. Later days are less certain, so treat the order as a guide.
Biggest totals
Forecast snow, all 14 days added together.
- Kiroro37 cm
- Sapporo Kokusai37 cm
- Kamui Ski Links34 cm
- Niseko United29 cm
- Otaru Tenguyama27 cm
Before you go
Resort status
No resorts are in season on their scheduled dates today, with 10 in pre-season, and none are scheduled to open in the next 14 days. The next opening is Sapporo Kokusai, scheduled to open on 20 Nov. "In season" refers to the resort's scheduled calendar, not a live lift report.
Scheduled openings
No resorts are in season yet. Dates are from each resort's season calendar, not a live lift report.
- Next after thatSapporo Kokusai20 Nov
Reading the forecast
Snowfall and freezing levels are forecast at upper-mountain points for each resort, so real totals can differ where terrain lifts or shelters the weather. Treat figures as a guide to timing and scale, and check each resort's own page before you travel.
How this report is made
SnowStash calculates every figure from its own forecast data. The wording is drafted with AI from those figures and checked before publishing, with this edition reviewed by Michael Fulton.