February Banter 2026

[Maestrobjwa]

18 minutes ago, WxUSAF said:

I’m up for a new thread. @Maestrobjwa?

Sure! I'll make one in a bit

[yoda]

Big Slovakia fan

[WxMan1]

11 hours ago, Jebman said:

I have certainly enjoyed the last four days of heavy snow in the Sierras. I have gotten quite the FIX.

However, no mercy. We get 4 days off, then Tuesday another three feet of very heavy WET snow descend on Mammoth.

Skiers will get their fill of the white room tomorrow. Main Lodge lifts will be up and spinning by 10am local Pac time. SIX FEET of fresh POW await those who get there first. Palisades Tahoe got EIGHT FEET of fresh POW! Skiers are gonnabe besides themselves with pure JOY!

Every time I close my eyes all I see are huge aggregates being driven by 85 mph gusts at Mammoth! All I see is Plow Guy plowing DEEP snow!

https://www.mammothmountain.com/on-the-mountain/mammoth-webcam/main-lodge

Check out this 6 FOOT DRIFT on the 8200 foot Scope at Palisades!!!!

https://www.palisadestahoe.com/mountain-information/webcams

See also Alpine Lodge https://www.palisadestahoe.com/mountain-information/webcams#tab=alpine

https://blog.palisadestahoe.com/weather/8-feet-with-a-final-foot-thursday/

https://blog.palisadestahoe.com/operations/feb-18-operations-update/

https://blog.palisadestahoe.com/operations/feb-19-operations-update/

Inside Edge Blog https://blog.palisadestahoe.com/

 

 

 

 

One of these days I want to experience this!

I'm thinking Mammoth Lakes or Tahoe -- somewhere where there's some population and infrastructure. The guys at the Sierra Snow Lab in Soda Springs (west of Truckee) are in a pretty sparse location. 

Either way, You want to get your snow fixed, go to the Sierra. Or western/ northwestern Japan. 

[dailylurker]

I know a spot that's only 6.5 hours drive. You can experience all you want lol

[arlwx12]

OOH! GMA3 featured the prospect of a noreaster from DC to Boston!

((as a warminista,. hoping this means DCA gets 2 inches on car tops...))

[Maestrobjwa]

@WxUSAF Thread made!

[T. August]

@Kay def worried we get screwed here lol. Looks like we are too east for the IVT and too far west for the potential coastal influence.

[RDM]

1 hour ago, WxMan1 said:

One of these days I want to experience this!

I'm thinking Mammoth Lakes or Tahoe -- somewhere where there's some population and infrastructure. The guys at the Sierra Snow Lab in Soda Springs (west of Truckee) are in a pretty sparse location. 

Either way, You want to get your snow fixed, go to the Sierra. Or western/ northwestern Japan. 

  If you, Jebman or anyone ever get the chance to visit Japan, suggest going to Zao or Naeba.  Zao NW of Tokyo several hours.  It is famous for its "snow monsters", which are the wind-swept snow-encrusted tops of pine trees sticking out of the snow.  When I was there telemark skiing, there were only 10-20' of the tree tops sticking out of the 60-70 feet of snow.  It was amazing how much snow they had, even by Tahoe standards.  

It was very interesting how they deal with the snow.  The Japanese have snow removal down to an art.  Downtown Zao and Naeba (not very big villages) have perforated rubber hoses laying all over the streets and sidewalks.  They pump hot water from the natural springs out to melt the snow.  The whole area smells like sulfur, but you get used to it.  Where they don't have hot water running, they use a variety of snow blowers to discard it.  There's simply no place to push it - too much of it.  They have some really nifty walk behind snowblowers that are really cool and it seems everybody has one.  

When it snows on the western flanks of Honshu (the main island of Japan), the fetch off the Sea of Japan is accented by the upslope from the Japanese Alps.  The result is akin to what Mammoth is experiencing, and then some.  Never seen snow so intense for so long.  If you ever do go, hit me up offline.  Happy to give some ideas.  Heading to Japan in a week for several weeks.  Unfortunately, I don't think we'll be heading to the mountains this time.   

[MacChump]

1 hour ago, mappy said:

Sadly they are accessing via a vpn so I can’t do an ip check to know for sure

sandysurvivor

[WxMan1]

16 minutes ago, RDM said:

  If you, Jebman or anyone ever get the chance to visit Japan, suggest going to Zao or Naeba.  Zao NW of Tokyo several hours.  It is famous for its "snow monsters", which are the wind-swept snow-encrusted tops of pine trees sticking out of the snow.  When I was there telemark skiing, there were only 10-20' of the tree tops sticking out of the 60-70 feet of snow.  It was amazing how much snow they had, even by Tahoe standards.  

It was very interesting how they deal with the snow.  The Japanese have snow removal down to an art.  Downtown Zao and Naeba (not very big villages) have perforated rubber hoses laying all over the streets and sidewalks.  They pump hot water from the natural springs out to melt the snow.  The whole area smells like sulfur, but you get used to it.  Where they don't have hot water running, they use a variety of snow blowers to discard it.  There's simply no place to push it - too much of it.  They have some really nifty walk behind snowblowers that are really cool and it seems everybody has one.  

When it snows on the western flanks of Honshu (the main island of Japan), the fetch off the Sea of Japan is accented by the upslope from the Japanese Alps.  The result is akin to what Mammoth is experiencing, and then some.  Never seen snow so intense for so long.  If you ever do go, hit me up offline.  Happy to give some ideas.  Heading to Japan in a week for several weeks.  Unfortunately, I don't think we'll be heading to the mountains this time.   

I actually lived in Japan as a youngster (age 9-13) when my Dad was assigned to Yokota Air Base. Went to a Boy Scout Jamboree in Zao, which I believe is north to northwest of Fukushima. Of course, that was in August. I recall it was quite beautiful! 

I hear Aomori, far northern Honshu, is the place to go for snow. Over 300" on average per year! 

[TowsonTownT]

Anyone else seen the preview for the new movie "Pressure"? Looks like it was made just for weather weenies like us.

 

[mappy]

26 minutes ago, MacChump said:

sandysurvivor

lol wouldn’t surprise me 

[balltermen]

when radar does look like this, I will bump. 

[RDM]

19 minutes ago, WxMan1 said:

I actually lived in Japan as a youngster (age 9-13) when my Dad was assigned to Yokota Air Base. Went to a Boy Scout Jamboree in Zao, which I believe is north to northwest of Fukushima. Of course, that was in August. I recall it was quite beautiful! 

I hear Aomori, far northern Honshu, is the place to go for snow. Over 300" on average per year! 

Great! - been to the BX at Yokota AFB many times.  Hope you have good memories of your time there. 

You are the first person I've ever "met" who knows about Zao.  It's a great area.  Never been there in the summer time, but can imagine it would be a nice place to visit without snow too.  

Heard of Aomori, but haven't been there.  Climbed Fuji san and skied down once (on telemark skis) with a couple snowboarders.  That was a surreal experience.  Had great weather with unlimited visibility just after a cold front went through.  

[Kay]

3 hours ago, T. August said:

@Kay def worried we get screwed here lol. Looks like we are too east for the IVT and too far west for the potential coastal influence.

Too many wildcards but I do think we score something. I mostly like our northness and eastness. And oh - our proximity to an icy cold bay, for extra weenie hopes.

[nw baltimore wx]

1 hour ago, Kay said:

Too many wildcards but I do think we score something. I mostly like our northness and eastness. And oh - our proximity to an icy cold bay, for extra weenie hopes.

Personally, and it’s likely meaningless, I think you’re in one of the better spots for anyone west of the bay. 

[MillvilleWx]

1 minute ago, wasnow215 said:

Since you started this way better food and great beaches lol... just messing moving on now you can delete it if you want mods but you would have to start with his lol

Italian food is definitely amazing that way and incredible hoagies. I’ll give you great food although we are good with that over yonder too  

Here’s to a nice storm 

[yoda]

3 minutes ago, stormtracker said:

Man, I had to go to Houston for my bf friend's birthday.  I'm going to play the part, but I'm dying inside.

 

[Scarlet Pimpernel]

4 minutes ago, yoda said:

 

Speaking of volunteering for sacrifice, since I know you're also a LOTR fan, there's always Frodo!

[Jebman]

6 hours ago, RDM said:

  If you, Jebman or anyone ever get the chance to visit Japan, suggest going to Zao or Naeba.  Zao NW of Tokyo several hours.  It is famous for its "snow monsters", which are the wind-swept snow-encrusted tops of pine trees sticking out of the snow.  When I was there telemark skiing, there were only 10-20' of the tree tops sticking out of the 60-70 feet of snow.  It was amazing how much snow they had, even by Tahoe standards.  

It was very interesting how they deal with the snow.  The Japanese have snow removal down to an art.  Downtown Zao and Naeba (not very big villages) have perforated rubber hoses laying all over the streets and sidewalks.  They pump hot water from the natural springs out to melt the snow.  The whole area smells like sulfur, but you get used to it.  Where they don't have hot water running, they use a variety of snow blowers to discard it.  There's simply no place to push it - too much of it.  They have some really nifty walk behind snowblowers that are really cool and it seems everybody has one.  

When it snows on the western flanks of Honshu (the main island of Japan), the fetch off the Sea of Japan is accented by the upslope from the Japanese Alps.  The result is akin to what Mammoth is experiencing, and then some.  Never seen snow so intense for so long.  If you ever do go, hit me up offline.  Happy to give some ideas.  Heading to Japan in a week for several weeks.  Unfortunately, I don't think we'll be heading to the mountains this time.   

Might have to look into this. 70 FEET of snow? Makes Palisades Tahoe and Mammoth look like Washington DC in late Morch.

Those Japanese need to learn how to pile it up. Get a Jebman Shovel and start digging! Use scaffolding if you have to.

[nj2va]

Go USA! Sundays game will be epic. What a semifinals win by the fellas 

[Jebman]

Mammoth ended up with about 55 to 75 inches. Palisades Tahoe ended up with about 8 feet of new snow but their upper mountain stacked up 10 feet just from this storm cycle.

Skiers are probably so happy its beyond belief. The extreme cold made this a very dry snow, they are all experiencing the White Room like never before! Might need snorkels.

 

This says it all about Mammoth's summit https://www.mammothmountain.com/on-the-mountain/mammoth-webcam/the-summit

That snow is SO piled up! 

Unbound Main Park - Snow Gun, skiers heads are almost level with it! NO WAY! Way. Usually that gun towers waaaaaay above the skiers' heads!

https://www.mammothmountain.com/on-the-mountain/mammoth-webcam/unbound-main-park

What a BANNER on the Palisades website! https://www.palisadestahoe.com/ You have gotta be kiddin me! TEN FEET!

[RDM]

2 hours ago, Jebman said:

Might have to look into this. 70 FEET of snow? Makes Palisades Tahoe and Mammoth look like Washington DC in late Morch.

Those Japanese need to learn how to pile it up. Get a Jebman Shovel and start digging! Use scaffolding if you have to.

Here you go...   Below is just one picture from a web search.  They use bulldozers and snowblowers to keep the road open until the chasm becomes too steep to blow the snow out.  

Separately, Gassan had the deepest snow depth of any resort in the world in April 2025.  380"

https://www.snow-forecast.com/whiteroom/japan-weekly-roundup-291/  

 

[Jebman]

Wow RDM. Not sure what to say to this. Makes Atlantic Canada look like the DMV in May.

Man I am not gonna be diggin nothing. That, is a LOT of snow.

Daily Lurker needs to see this. This outdoes the Tug.

[RDM]

18 minutes ago, Jebman said:

Wow RDM. Not sure what to say to this. Makes Atlantic Canada look like the DMV in May.

Man I am not gonna be diggin nothing. That, is a LOT of snow.

Daily Lurker needs to see this. This outdoes the Tug.

Glad you like it.  Here's another shot for you.  Search on "Incredible deep snow in Japan"