Hokkaido Storm Warning to Oct 15; Snow on High Peaks

Rain and wind are expected to strengthen from the Kinki region up to Hokkaido on Wednesday, October 14. According to a Japan Weather Association (tenki.jp) article published on the 13th, Hokkaido needs to stay alert for violent winds through the 15th, with maximum gusts forecast at 35 meters per second. Cold air is also moving south, and some high mountains in Hokkaido may see snow.

Key Points of This Weather System

On the 14th, thunderstorms and sudden gusts are possible in many areas, and a heavy rain warning may be issued.
On the northern Hokkaido coast (the Soya and Rumoi regions), the chance of warning-level storm winds is rated "high."
Strong winds continue in Hokkaido on the 15th, with waves forecast at 5 meters.
In some places the evening of the 14th will be colder than the morning, so watch for temperature swings.

What This Means for the Slopes

This cold air will not bring significant snow to the ski resorts. Sapporo's forecast for the 14th is rain, then cloudy, with a high of 22°C, a low of 17°C and 0 cm of snowfall. The 10-day forecast for Sapporo also has daytime highs staying in the 14-18°C range.

The main winter season is still some way off. That said, snow on high mountains in October is nothing unusual. If you are heading into the mountains to hike or take photos, take strong winds and sudden drops in temperature seriously.

Check Mountain Snow on the Live Cams

This season's first snow cap (shokansetsu, the first snow seen on a mountain's summit area) in Japan was observed on October 2 at Asahidake, in Hokkaido's Daisetsuzan range. On the same day, snow was confirmed at Kurodake Ishimuro, a mountain hut on Kurodake, according to an observation reported by Rinyu Kanko.

Note that the Japan Meteorological Agency changed how it records first snow caps this season. Instead of visual observation by staff, it now uses analyzed snow depth. Because the method differs, the dates cannot be compared directly with those from previous seasons.

You can see conditions near the summits on our live cams:

Opening Information

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Sources

Prepared with AI assistance from public sources. Always check each resort's official website for the latest information.