The term snorkel deep is jokingly tossed around in the ski world to describe epic powder conditions but in Japan its no joke.
Japan’s legendary snow conditions are thanks to a potent combination of geographical, meteorological, and topographical factors. Its proximity to mainland Asia allows cold air from Siberia and northern China to blow over the Sea of Japan where it picks up moisture before delivering the good. More specifically the Siberian High weather pattern brings cold air southward, creating a low-pressure system that draws in moisture from the unfrozen Sea of Japan. Japan’s mountainous terrain then forces this moist air to rise, cool, and condense into snow creating he dreamy conditions like this one below.
While we don’t recommend packing a snorkel as a practical ski accessory for you next ski trip to Japan, it certainly worked out for this fella:
“I can breathe, but I can’t see the front.” -Genki Hoshino