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The Snowiest Ski Resorts on Earth

We measured all 3,049 ski areas the same way and ranked them by snowfall per season. 46 of the top 100 are in Japan.

Number one
FONNA Glacier Ski Resort
Its snowfall
783cm
Japan in the top 100
46

🌍 Japan against the great ski nations

The snowiest resort in each country, and where it sits in the world.

Country Snowiest resort in that country World rank Snowfall Japanese resorts that beat it
🇯🇵 Japan Okutadami Maruyama Ski Resort 2 765 —
🇳🇴 Norway FONNA Glacier Ski Resort 1 783 0
🇨🇦 Canada Shames Mountain 4 730 1
🇺🇸 United States Mt Baker 26 649 20
🇫🇷 France Aiguille du Midi (Chamonix) 87 486 44
🇮🇹 Italy La Thuile 164 408 75
🇳🇿 New Zealand Invincible Snowfields 190 392 80
🇨🇭 Switzerland Snow Park 140 426 66
🇦🇹 Austria Diedamskopf 233 368 92
🇦🇺 Australia Charlotte Pass 966 219 236

cm/season, the twelve-season average.

Top 300 by country

108 🇯🇵 Japan 45 🇫🇷 France 38 🇳🇴 Norway 34 🇨🇭 Switzerland 33 🇺🇸 United States 10 🇨🇦 Canada 8 🇦🇹 Austria 7 🇦🇷 Argentina 5 🇪🇸 Spain 3 🇨🇱 Chile 3 🇮🇹 Italy 2 🇩🇪 Germany 1 🇮🇷 Iran 1 🇳🇿 New Zealand 1 🇸🇪 Sweden 1 🇹🇷 Türkiye
Rank Resort Country Snowfall
1 FONNA Glacier Ski Resort 🇳🇴 Norway 783 479–1350
2 Okutadami Maruyama Ski Resort Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 765 381–989
3 Nevados de Chillán Ñuble 🇨🇱 Chile 752 188–1121
4 Shames Mountain 🇨🇦 Canada 730 491–1115
5 Muikamachi Hakkaisan Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 728 313–974
6 = Iwappara Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 712 328–921
6 = Nakazato Snow Wood Ski Area Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 712 328–921
6 = Yuzawa Nakazato Ski Resort Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 712 328–921
6 = Yuzawa Park Ski Resort Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 712 328–921
10 Ski Callaghan 🇨🇦 Canada 710 558–909
11 Itoigawa Seaside Valley Ski Resort Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 703 388–849
12 = Ippon Sugi Ski Resort Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 695 328–983
12 = Ishiuchi Hanaoka Ski Area Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 695 328–983
12 = Ishiuchi Maruyama Ski Resort Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 695 328–983
12 = Joetsu International Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 695 328–983
12 = Maiko Snow Resort Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 695 328–983
17 Eikedalen skisenter 🇳🇴 Norway 693 397–1263
18 Charmant Hiuchi Snow Resort Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 690 388–816
19 Seki Onsen Ski Area Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 689 273–867
20 Tateyama Sanroku Ski Area Toyama 🇯🇵 Japan 682 298–868
21 = Hakuba 47 Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 668 380–860
21 = Hakuba Iwatake Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 668 380–860
21 = Tsugaike Kogen Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 668 380–860
24 ARAI SNOW RESORT Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 663 273–816
25 Mount Gassan Ski Resort Yamagata 🇯🇵 Japan 655 370–833
26 = Mt Baker 🇺🇸 United States 649 248–893
26 = Corralco 🇨🇱 Chile 649 261–904
28 Røldal Skisenter 🇳🇴 Norway 639 394–1025
29 Whistler Blackcomb British Columbia 🇨🇦 Canada 637 438–1098
30 = Hakuba Cortina Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 635 385–794
30 = Hakuba Norikura Onsen Ski Resort Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 635 380–794
32 Aktiven skiheis 🇳🇴 Norway 634 369–1129
33 Grouse Mountain 🇨🇦 Canada 631 150–838
34 Tainai Ski and Snowboard area Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 629 261–914
35 Sugar Bowl Resort 🇺🇸 United States 620 172–1118
36 = Gala Yuzawa Snow Resort Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 618 328–774
36 = Kandatsu Kogen Ski Resort Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 618 328–774
36 = Nakasato Kiyotsu Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 618 328–774
36 = NASPA Ski Garden Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 618 328–774
36 = New Greenpia Tsunan Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 618 328–774
36 = Yuzawa Kogen Ski Resort Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 618 328–774
42 Bear Valley 🇺🇸 United States 602 140–1234
43 Myrkdalen 🇳🇴 Norway 595 317–1053
44 Furedalen alpin 🇳🇴 Norway 592 369–1129
45 Mitsumata Area Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 589 328–717
46 Palisades Tahoe Alpine Meadows 🇺🇸 United States 587 172–1086
47 Caviahue 🇦🇷 Argentina 584 233–859
48 Estación Esquí Antillanca 🇨🇱 Chile 577 164–980
49 Homewood Ski Area 🇺🇸 United States 576 174–1085
50 = Dakota Ridge Recreation Site 🇨🇦 Canada 574 61–786
50 = Alyeska Resort 🇺🇸 United States 574 318–1116
52 Mt Seymour 🇨🇦 Canada 573 15–838
53 X-JAM Takaifuji Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 568 214–817
54 Ninox Snow Park Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 567 261–752
55 Kagura Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 565 241–717
56 Kirkwood Mountain Resort 🇺🇸 United States 563 165–1155
57 Dodge Ridge Ski Area 🇺🇸 United States 562 122–1250
58 Eaglecrest Ski Area 🇺🇸 United States 559 334–846
59 Mount Washington Alpine Resort 🇨🇦 Canada 558 60–827
60 Voss Resort Fjellheisar 🇳🇴 Norway 557 277–912
61 = Togakushi Ski Area Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 553 385–699
61 = Cupid Valley Ski Area Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 553 301–693
61 = Sakae Club Ski Area Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 553 301–693
64 White Pass Ski Area 🇺🇸 United States 551 230–776
65 Mt. Bachelor 🇺🇸 United States 550 147–747
66 Sierra-at-Tahoe Ski Resort 🇺🇸 United States 548 165–1095
67 = Chateau Shiozawa Ski Area Yoshizato Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 546 328–739
67 = Muica Snow Resort Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 546 328–739
69 Kagura Area Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 542 241–679
70 Crystal Mountain 🇺🇸 United States 539 168–768
71 Suhara Ski Area Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 538 322–676
72 Yakushi Ski Area Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 532 306–727
73 = Alpental 🇺🇸 United States 531 134–737
73 = Sahalie Ski Club 🇺🇸 United States 531 134–737
73 = Summit West 🇺🇸 United States 531 134–737
73 = Three Summits 🇺🇸 United States 531 134–737
77 Sauda skisenter 🇳🇴 Norway 527 331–933
78 SAM Hakusan Ichirino Ski Resort Ishikawa 🇯🇵 Japan 526 246–720
79 Tahoe Donner Downhill Ski Area 🇺🇸 United States 519 172–966
80 Sasquatch Mountain Resort 🇨🇦 Canada 512 207–648
81 Gullingen skisenter 🇳🇴 Norway 508 264–877
82 Hakusan Senjo Onsen Seymour Ski Area Ishikawa 🇯🇵 Japan 507 246–719
83 Breimsbygda Skisenter 🇳🇴 Norway 501 259–832
84 Stordalen skisenter 🇳🇴 Norway 500 278–839
85 Jølster Skisenter 🇳🇴 Norway 499 238–863
86 Hagurosan Ski Area Yamagata 🇯🇵 Japan 488 245–662
87 = Aiguille du Midi (Chamonix) 🇫🇷 France 486 305–837
87 = Mammoth Mountain California 🇺🇸 United States 486 87–1254
87 = Ådneram Skitrekk 🇳🇴 Norway 486 292–747
87 = Fidjeland Skitrekk 🇳🇴 Norway 486 292–747
91 Tadami Ski Area Fukushima 🇯🇵 Japan 482 341–605
92 Palisades Tahoe California 🇺🇸 United States 477 172–882
93 = Hornindal skisenter 🇳🇴 Norway 476 253–941
93 = Cerro Perito Moreno 🇦🇷 Argentina 476 204–732
95 = Budoh Snow Resort Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 472 222–725
95 = Chapelco Ski Resort 🇦🇷 Argentina 472 246–672
97 = Timberline Lodge Ski Area 🇺🇸 United States 469 67–592
97 = Las Leñas Mendoza 🇦🇷 Argentina 469 196–1034
99 = Finse Skisenter 🇳🇴 Norway 468 293–761
99 = Sunnmørsalpane Skiarena Fjellseter 🇳🇴 Norway 468 214–840
101 Yashima Ski Area Akita 🇯🇵 Japan 467 183–686
102 Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Resort 🇺🇸 United States 465 67–586
103 June Mountain 🇺🇸 United States 463 87–1201
104 Les Contamines 🇫🇷 France 462 320–780
105 Mt. Hood Skibowl 🇺🇸 United States 457 67–596
106 Stordal alpinsenter 🇳🇴 Norway 455 242–729
107 Hakkai Sanroku Ski Area Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 451 239–676
108 = Nozawa Onsen Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 450 301–635
108 = Togari Onsen Ski Resort Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 450 301–635
110 = Jiigatake Snow Resort Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 449 353–589
110 = Kashimayari Snow Resort Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 449 353–589
110 = Sirdal Skisenter 🇳🇴 Norway 449 265–735
113 Tashiro Area Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 447 241–563
114 = Yokone Yamagata 🇯🇵 Japan 446 289–595
114 = Naeba Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 446 241–540
114 = La Rosière 🇫🇷 France 446 290–809
117 = Akakura Kanko Ski Resort Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 445 273–560
117 = Akakura Onsen Ski Area Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 445 273–560
117 = Kyukamura Myoko Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 445 273–560
120 = Aizu Kogen Takahata Fukushima 🇯🇵 Japan 439 222–575
120 = Oze Hinoemata Onsen Ski Resort Fukushima 🇯🇵 Japan 439 222–575
122 = Akita Hachimantai Ski Area Akita 🇯🇵 Japan 437 229–613
122 = Leland Snowplay 🇺🇸 United States 437 122–955
122 = Parque de Nieve Batea Mahuida 🇦🇷 Argentina 437 222–593
125 Sainte-Foy Tarentaise 🇫🇷 France 436 311–809
126 Mount Cain Alpine Park 🇨🇦 Canada 434 174–606
127 = Koshi Kogen Ski Area Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 433 170–676
127 = Fjellhaugen skisenter 🇳🇴 Norway 433 253–746
129 = Kurohime Kogen Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 432 230–560
129 = Madarao Kogen Mountain Resort Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 432 230–560
129 = Tangram Madarao Ski Circus Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 432 230–560
129 = Chelgerd Ski Resort 🇮🇷 Iran 432 197–755
129 = Brévent/Flégère (Chamonix) 🇫🇷 France 432 278–717
129 = Ikenotaira Onsen Alpen Blick Ski Resort Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 432 230–560
135 Les Houches (Chamonix) 🇫🇷 France 429 301–708
136 Badger Pass Ski Area 🇺🇸 United States 428 84–1005
137 = Domaine Nordique Peisey-Vallandry 🇫🇷 France 427 294–792
137 = La Plagne 🇫🇷 France 427 294–792
137 = Megève/Saint-Gervais 🇫🇷 France 427 303–708
140 = Snow Park 🇨🇭 Switzerland 426 294–670
140 = Val d'Isère Savoie 🇫🇷 France 426 309–792
142 Awasuno Ski Area Toyama 🇯🇵 Japan 425 298–549
143 Hoodoo Ski Area 🇺🇸 United States 424 108–578
144 = Kawaba Ski Resort Gunma 🇯🇵 Japan 423 183–577
144 = Tambara Ski Park Gunma 🇯🇵 Japan 423 183–577
144 = Alpe d'Huez Grand Domaine 🇫🇷 France 423 244–773
147 = Balme - Vallorcine 🇫🇷 France 421 279–717
147 = Les Grands Montets 🇫🇷 France 421 279–717
149 = Les Deux Alpes 🇫🇷 France 419 251–769
149 = Asahi Shizenkan Snow Park Yamagata 🇯🇵 Japan 419 311–564
151 = Mashike Choei Shokanbetsudake Ski Area Hokkaido 🇯🇵 Japan 416 224–592
151 = Le Grand Massif 🇫🇷 France 416 268–683
153 = Hakuba Sanosaka Snow Resort Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 415 301–609
153 = Narvikfjellet Ski Resort 🇳🇴 Norway 415 217–610
155 = Hakuba Goryu & Hakuba47 Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 414 301–609
155 = Hakuba Happo-One Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 414 301–609
157 Les Sybelles 🇫🇷 France 413 275–738
158 = Itsukamachi Ski Area Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 412 239–648
158 = Willamette Pass 🇺🇸 United States 412 121–587
160 Engelberg-Titlis 🇨🇭 Switzerland 411 312–577
161 = Paradiski 🇫🇷 France 410 283–749
161 = Harpefossen skisenter 🇳🇴 Norway 410 209–750
163 China Peak Mountain Resort 🇺🇸 United States 409 76–977
164 La Thuile 🇮🇹 Italy 408 258–710
165 Jeunesse Kurikoma Ski Area Akita 🇯🇵 Japan 407 171–549
166 Estación de Esquí Aramón Formigal 🇪🇸 Spain 406 266–650
167 Ryuoo Ski Park Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 405 214–520
168 = Glacier 3000 🇨🇭 Switzerland 403 270–662
168 = Les Arcs / Peisey-Vallandry 🇫🇷 France 403 256–707
170 = Luz Ardiden 🇫🇷 France 402 253–695
170 = Fairy Land Kaneyama Ski Area Fukushima 🇯🇵 Japan 402 291–554
172 = Melchsee-Frutt 🇨🇭 Switzerland 401 312–583
172 = Mürren/Schilthorn 🇨🇭 Switzerland 401 305–577
172 = Sogndal skisenter 🇳🇴 Norway 401 179–634
175 = Meiringen-Hasliberg 🇨🇭 Switzerland 399 285–562
175 = Sysendalen Skisenter 🇳🇴 Norway 399 238–622
177 Smith Butte Sno-Park 🇺🇸 United States 398 85–515
178 = Daisetsuzan Sounkyo Kurodake Ski Area Hokkaido 🇯🇵 Japan 396 293–574
178 = Axalp ob Brienz 🇨🇭 Switzerland 396 283–562
178 = First – Grindelwald 🇨🇭 Switzerland 396 283–562
178 = Grindelwald - Wengen 🇨🇭 Switzerland 396 304–552
178 = Ørsta skisenter 🇳🇴 Norway 396 197–664
183 Lilleåsen skitrekk 🇳🇴 Norway 395 182–578
184 = Aizukogen Nango Ski Area Fukushima 🇯🇵 Japan 394 312–494
184 = Bygdastølen skiskytterstadion 🇳🇴 Norway 394 241–632
186 = Mount Eyak Ski Area 🇺🇸 United States 393 219–617
186 = Courchevel Savoie 🇫🇷 France 393 261–678
186 = Pralognan-la-Vanoise 🇫🇷 France 393 261–678
186 = Rauma skisenter 🇳🇴 Norway 393 183–573
190 = Domaine Nordique - Vallon de Champagny le Haut 🇫🇷 France 392 261–689
190 = Invincible Snowfields 🇳🇿 New Zealand 392 234–515
192 Gourette 🇫🇷 France 391 177–719
193 Northstar at Tahoe Resort 🇺🇸 United States 390 172–702
194 = Artouste 🇫🇷 France 388 163–719
194 = Cauterets 🇫🇷 France 388 177–695
194 = Asahidake Hokkaido 🇯🇵 Japan 388 304–628
197 Cerro Bayo 🇦🇷 Argentina 387 181–600
198 = Lauchernalp 🇨🇭 Switzerland 386 273–593
198 = Manning Park Resort 🇨🇦 Canada 386 276–501
200 Strandafjellet skisenter 🇳🇴 Norway 385 155–570
201 = Sannokura Fukushima 🇯🇵 Japan 384 289–562
201 = Hirayu Onsen Ski Area Gifu 🇯🇵 Japan 384 252–471
203 Le Grand Domaine 🇫🇷 France 381 250–643
204 = Champex-Lac 🇨🇭 Switzerland 380 255–581
204 = La Fouly 🇨🇭 Switzerland 380 255–581
206 = Grandeco Snow Resort Fukushima 🇯🇵 Japan 379 151–518
206 = Tengendai Kogen Yamagata 🇯🇵 Japan 379 151–518
208 = Brüsti – Attinghausen 🇨🇭 Switzerland 378 296–502
208 = Riksgränsen 🇸🇪 Sweden 378 170–537
208 = Ljosland skisenter 🇳🇴 Norway 378 266–525
211 = Tengamori Ski Area Akita 🇯🇵 Japan 377 197–508
211 = Appi Kogen Iwate 🇯🇵 Japan 377 167–504
213 = Bourg-Saint-Pierre 🇨🇭 Switzerland 376 256–581
213 = Vichères-Bavon 🇨🇭 Switzerland 376 256–581
215 = Les 3 Vallées 🇫🇷 France 375 244–675
215 = Val Thorens Savoie 🇫🇷 France 375 244–675
217 = Engstligenalp 🇨🇭 Switzerland 374 255–559
217 = Hovden Alpinsenter 🇳🇴 Norway 374 244–568
219 = Iwanai Resort Hokkaido 🇯🇵 Japan 373 234–475
219 = Biel-Kinzig 🇨🇭 Switzerland 373 262–530
221 = Hakkoda Kokusai Ski Area Aomori 🇯🇵 Japan 371 154–469
221 = Mishima Choei Fukushima 🇯🇵 Japan 371 269–471
221 = Adelboden - Lenk 🇨🇭 Switzerland 371 255–560
221 = Adelboden - TschentenAlp 🇨🇭 Switzerland 371 255–560
221 = Lauenen 🇨🇭 Switzerland 371 244–602
226 = Koide Ski Area Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 370 121–676
226 = Ani Ski Resort (Mt. Moriyoshi) Akita 🇯🇵 Japan 370 203–487
226 = Piau Engaly 🇫🇷 France 370 224–582
226 = Albiez-Montrond 🇫🇷 France 370 241–626
226 = Stryn Vinterski 🇳🇴 Norway 370 183–552
231 = Eggberge 🇨🇭 Switzerland 369 262–502
231 = Blatten Belalp 🇨🇭 Switzerland 369 248–589
233 = Norn Minakami Gunma 🇯🇵 Japan 368 183–483
233 = Tanigawadake Tenjindaira Ski Area Gunma 🇯🇵 Japan 368 183–483
233 = White Valley Ski Area Gunma 🇯🇵 Japan 368 183–483
233 = Braunwald 🇨🇭 Switzerland 368 297–475
233 = Skiarena Loh Hätzingen 🇨🇭 Switzerland 368 297–475
233 = Diedamskopf 🇦🇹 Austria 368 263–507
239 = La Grave 🇫🇷 France 365 231–651
239 = Le Tourchet (Chamonix) 🇫🇷 France 365 243–607
239 = Passy - Plaine Joux 🇫🇷 France 365 243–607
243 = Mikawa Onsen Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 363 203–496
243 = Flumserberg 🇨🇭 Switzerland 363 284–498
243 = Bjørnestad Skisenter 🇳🇴 Norway 363 213–577
246 = Champéry – Les Crosets – Champoussin – Morgins 🇨🇭 Switzerland 361 224–637
246 = Bortelid Skisenter 🇳🇴 Norway 361 260–545
246 = Fellhorn/Kanzelwand 🇩🇪 Germany 361 250–533
246 = Kleinwalsertal-Oberstdorf 🇩🇪 Germany 361 250–533
246 = Heuberg Arena/Walmendingerhorn 🇦🇹 Austria 361 250–533
246 = Ifen 🇦🇹 Austria 361 250–533
246 = Kleinwalsertal-Oberstdorf 🇦🇹 Austria 361 250–533
246 = Goat Meadow Snow Play Area 🇺🇸 United States 361 111–787
254 = Le Chazelet 🇫🇷 France 360 228–629
254 = Espace Liberté 🇫🇷 France 360 224–614
254 = L’Essert – Abondance 🇫🇷 France 360 224–614
254 = Espace Liberté 🇨🇭 Switzerland 360 224–614
254 = La Poya (Chamonix) 🇫🇷 France 360 228–567
254 = Vormaine 🇫🇷 France 360 228–567
254 = Les Marecottes 🇨🇭 Switzerland 360 228–567
254 = Ørskogfjell skisenter 🇳🇴 Norway 360 163–550
262 = Estación de esquí de Candanchú 🇪🇸 Spain 358 230–579
262 = Estación Invernal de Astún 🇪🇸 Spain 358 230–579
262 = Le Somport 🇪🇸 Spain 358 230–579
262 = Le Somport 🇫🇷 France 358 230–579
262 = Amihari Onsen Ski Resort Iwate 🇯🇵 Japan 358 169–501
262 = Shizukuishi Ski Resort Iwate 🇯🇵 Japan 358 169–501
268 = IIZUNA HIGASHI KOGEN RESORT Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 357 230–435
268 = Myoko Suginohara Niigata 🇯🇵 Japan 357 230–435
268 = Anzère 🇨🇭 Switzerland 357 222–587
268 = Ski Arlberg 🇦🇹 Austria 357 204–535
268 = St. Anton am Arlberg Tyrol 🇦🇹 Austria 357 204–535
268 = Sunnfjord skisenter 🇳🇴 Norway 357 133–901
274 Leukerbad (Torrent) 🇨🇭 Switzerland 356 261–559
275 = Geto Kogen Iwate 🇯🇵 Japan 355 130–500
275 = Evasion Mont Blanc 🇫🇷 France 355 246–571
277 = Hida Takayama Municipal Ski Resort Gifu 🇯🇵 Japan 354 246–458
277 = Honokidaira Ski Area Gifu 🇯🇵 Japan 354 246–458
277 = Ratzi – Spiringen 🇨🇭 Switzerland 354 262–508
280 Aussois 🇫🇷 France 353 237–638
281 = Matsumori Ski Area Akita 🇯🇵 Japan 351 203–493
281 = Ergan Mountain Winter Sports and Eco-Tourism Center 🇹🇷 Türkiye 351 204–510
281 = Børgefjellsenteret 🇳🇴 Norway 351 221–530
281 = Sonnenkopf 🇦🇹 Austria 351 198–546
285 = Kijimadaira Ski Resort Nagano 🇯🇵 Japan 349 214–485
285 = Vercorin 🇨🇭 Switzerland 349 230–582
287 = Cerro Catedral Río Negro 🇦🇷 Argentina 348 160–510
287 = Estación de Esquí Aramón Panticosa 🇪🇸 Spain 348 232–523
289 = Courmayeur Val Ferret 🇮🇹 Italy 347 216–585
289 = Nekoma Mountain Fukushima 🇯🇵 Japan 347 235–454
289 = Urabandai Ski Resort Fukushima 🇯🇵 Japan 347 235–454
292 Hida Kawai Ski Resort Gifu 🇯🇵 Japan 345 233–601
293 = Vestvatnlia alpinanlegg 🇳🇴 Norway 344 167–479
293 = Lenk - Wallegg 🇨🇭 Switzerland 344 225–516
293 = Tauplitz / Bad Mitterndorf 🇦🇹 Austria 344 203–697
296 = Macugnaga - Belvedere 🇮🇹 Italy 343 143–671
296 = Zinal / Grimentz 🇨🇭 Switzerland 343 232–572
296 = Le Grand Bornand 🇫🇷 France 343 243–625
296 = Le Reposoir Chalet Neuf 🇫🇷 France 343 243–625
296 = Snowpark 🇫🇷 France 343 243–625
296 = Stade de Slalom 🇫🇷 France 343 243–625

cm/season. Bold is the twelve-season average; the smaller figure is the range across those twelve seasons.

Why Japan gets buried

Cold Siberian wind crosses the warm Sea of Japan, picks up an enormous load of moisture in a few hundred kilometres, then slams into the mountain spine of Honshu and dumps it. Sea and mountain sit only tens of kilometres apart, which is why this happens here at a scale found nowhere else. That is why Niigata, Nagano and Yamagata fill the top of this list.

How this was measured

The twelve most recent completed seasons, 2014/15 to 2025/26. We widened this from three because a single big winter could lift a resort far above where its long-run average belongs. Snowfall patterns are shifting, so we deliberately do not use a thirty-year normal.

Winter is defined per hemisphere — December to March in the north, June to September in the south. Without that split, southern resorts would never be measured during their own winter and would rank at zero.

Source: [Open-Meteo](https://open-meteo.com/) historical data from the ERA5 reanalysis.

What these numbers cannot tell you

Nearby resorts share a value. ERA5 works on a grid roughly 10–30 km across, so resorts in the same valley fall in the same cell. Iwappara, Nakazato Snow Wood, Yuzawa Nakazato and Yuzawa Park are identical for exactly this reason, which is why we show them as tied. This ranking cannot separate neighbours.

Differences of a few percent are noise. Year-to-year swings are large: 377 of Japan's 392 ski areas vary by more than half their own average. FONNA Glacier Ski Resort itself ranges from 479 to 1350 cm. The gap between first and fourth place is 7% and means nothing.

These are not the centimetres that fell. ERA5 works on a 10–30 km grid, which flattens the mountain, so orographic uplift is under-produced and snowfall in mountain terrain comes out far too low. Niseko reads 289 cm here; the resort reports 14–15 m. That is a factor of four to five. Do not read the centimetre figures as real snowfall totals.

Resort-published snowfall is a different thing entirely. Every resort measures at a different place in a different way, so those figures are not comparable to each other. Ours are comparable only because all 3,049 went through one identical process.

What the data does support is comparison between regions. Niigata averages 554 cm across 48 ski areas against 410 cm for Toyama — a gap far larger than any of the errors above. The conclusion that the world's snowiest ski areas cluster in Japan survives all of these caveats.

These snowfall figures are estimates

The snowfall shown here is an estimate produced by a weather model, not a record of what actually fell.

We compared it against 63 Japan Meteorological Agency weather stations to see how far off it is. On average it comes to about six tenths of the real figure — it runs low. And it runs low by different amounts in different places: some read barely a third of what was measured, others match almost exactly. Mountains tend to read lowest.

We tried scaling everything up by a fixed amount to correct for it. It barely helped, because the error differs from place to place.

So treat these numbers as a guide to roughly where somewhere sits, not a precise figure. There is no meaning in the gap between first and second, or between 30th and 35th. Large differences between regions are real and can be read as they are.

We considered correcting the figures against the observations. But this ranking covers 3,069 ski areas across ten countries, and only Japan can be checked against weather stations. Correcting Japan alone would lift Japanese resorts above the Alps and North America with nothing behind it. Every place here is measured the same way instead.

Where a nearby weather station can be used, we print what it actually recorded on that ski area's own page.

Calculated: 2026-10-02 Seasons used — Northern: 2025/26, 2024/25, 2023/24, 2022/23, 2021/22, 2020/21, 2019/20, 2018/19, 2017/18, 2016/17, 2015/16, 2014/15 / Southern: 2026, 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015