Hokkaido Mountain Pass Snow Oct 22: Sekihoku, Nakayama Toge

As of the night of Monday, October 19, the temperature in Sapporo had dropped to 14.8°C. Temperatures are swinging widely this week, and snow is expected in the mountains and on the passes on Thursday, October 22. ^[2]

Blizzards on the passes from the night of Oct 21 into Oct 22

According to the weather commentary from Hokkaido News UHB on the evening of the 19th, cold air as strong as that of mid-November is moving in. From the night of Wednesday, October 21 through Thursday, October 22, the passes are expected to see blizzard conditions. Snow depths of about 20 cm at Sekihoku Pass and about 10 cm at Nakayama Toge ("toge" means mountain pass) are possible. The headline of a related article by the same forecaster says Sapporo and other Sea of Japan-side areas may see their first snow of the season. These figures are forecasts, so please check the latest announcements. ^[1]

If you are heading to the slopes

Even if snow falls on high mountains, it does not mean there will be enough on the slopes to ski right away. Mountain pass roads, however, are the first to turn wintry. If you plan to drive through Hokkaido's mountain areas at this time of year, it is wise to switch to winter tires early. For the night of the 21st and the 22nd, consider revising any plans that take you over a pass.

You can also watch the live camera on the Nakayama Toge ski resort page on this site.

Check the snow in the mountains on live cams

After snow falls, the live cams are the quickest and most reliable way to see what the mountains look like. You can check them on these pages:

Resorts that have opened for the season are listed on the opening information page, which is updated every morning.

Sources

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