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Sunday 14th March 2010, 5:16PM
Weather conditions:	Cloudy with snow showers
New snowfall:	10-15cm
Snow depth:	Current Official Snow Depths: Grand Hirafu: Top - 300 Bottom - 170 Niseko Village: Top - 360 Bottom - 150 Annupuri: Top - 350 Bottom - 210
Sorry about the late one but I've been in Sapporo since yesterday afternoon. So not too sure what the weather was doing here but I know we got a reasonable amount of snow in Sapporo. The avi report says we got 10cm of snow overnight and it looks like snow showers continued through much of the day so we'll say we've had 10-15cm of new snow since last report. It's remained pretty windy though and there's been a lot of drifting and temperatures have remained below freezing throughout the day. Not sure what it was like up there today but I'd say it's still pretty icy with maybe some reasonable snow on sheltered slopes where it's drifted. Tomorrow another low pressure system will approach from the SW and at this stage they are predicting snow at first but a warm front will pass through and temperatures will continue to increase through into the night and overnight the snow is expected to turn to rain. Tuesday will be very mild with further rain before colder air will come back in later and the remainder of the week will be colder again with more snow. Current Official Snow Depths: Grand Hirafu: Top - 300 Bottom - 170 Niseko Village: Top - 360 Bottom - 150 Annupuri: Top - 350 Bottom - 210 Avalanche Information: (Information as of this morning) Niseko Avalanche Info No.89 Moiwa base 6am: -6℃, moderate snow-storm, 10cm of broken crystal snow. Coastal data: WNW19m/s at Benkei cape, W14m/s, 3.1m waves and 1021hPa at Kamui cape. A strong westerly storm has persisted above 800m and made some snowdrifts slabs of wind-broken particle to develop in leeward slopes. Cornices have also developed in leeward areas above 1000m. Maximum snowdrift depth has reached 100cm in some spots just below ridgeline. Looking at the weather transition, the cornices and snowdrifts are yet to stabilize. 60cm surface slab avalanche are highly likely to occur in Kozan no sawa (Backbowl), Osawa, Mikaeri no sawa, Higashi-One and the south facing strictly off limits areas. Potential sliding layer is March 12-13th where a weak hoar layer has formed due to temperature difference in the snow accumulation. The storm should calm down around 11am and the slabs would start to stabilize, however peak gates will be closed all day for the sake of all resort users. Do not duck ropes to step out of bounds. Gate 1, 4, 5 and 6 are scheduled to open this afternoon. Follow the ski patrol’s instructions. Most avalanche accidents happen during or just after storms.

Saturday 13th March 2010, 12:42PM
Weather conditions:	Mostly cloudy with light snow showers
New snowfall:	Dusting
Snow depth:	Current Official Snow Depths: Grand Hirafu: Top - 290 Bottom - 165 Niseko Village: Top - 360 Bottom - 150 Annupuri: Top - 350 Bottom - 210
Well yesterday only got warmer as the day wore on with the temperature peaking close to 6 degrees at village level around midnight. We then had a couple of hours of rain totalling a bit less than 10mm. Earlier this morning the winds started moving from southerly to more westerly and the temperature by 9am dropped back below freezing and was accommpanied by a dusting of snow and some seriously strong winds. Looking out the window I can see big plumes of snow making their way across the upper slopes as strong gusts move through. Around the mountain only the very lowest lifts have managed to open and that's only in Hirafu and Niseko Village. Both Hanazono and Annupuri ski areas haven't managed to get a lift running yet. To be honest even if the lifts were running it really wouldn't be that great up there anyway with only dust on crust and icy conditions. There's been some light snow showers and these should continue into tomorrow and the winds should abate somewhat later today. Current Official Snow Depths: Grand Hirafu: Top - 290 Bottom - 165 Niseko Village: Top - 360 Bottom - 150 Annupuri: Top - 350 Bottom - 210 Avalanche Information: (Information as of this morning) Niseko Avalanche Info No.88 Moiwa base 6am: 0℃, no snowfall and overcast. Coastal data: WSW17m/s at Benkei cape, SW26m/s, 2.4m waves and 999hPa at Kamui cape. A 992hPa Low is moving north, inflowing warm air with it. +4℃ at midnight. Strong W to WSW gusts have persisted during the night. The peak anemometer, recorded SE9.6m/s at 6am, may have been affected by ice buildup. Westerly snow-storm is forecasted to pick up as the Low passes and temperature will drop quickly. Beware of the future weather transition. Avalanche hazards will rise drastically as the snowdrifts would develop suddenly in SE facing slopes. Stay away from steep slopes around 800m such as in Osawa cornice areas or Mikaeri no sawa. Unstable snow slabs collapses instantaneously inducing surface slab avalanches. Predicted trigger layer is March 12th. If a 60+cm snowdrift develops around 1100m, the surface avalanche could stimulate deeper layer and end up in a full depth slide. The snow layers temperature is rising, and snow temp warm up could be a sign of full depth slides. Stay away from valley bottoms to avoid avalanche path. All gates will be closed and top lift will probably not operate. Follow the ski patrol’s instructions. The snow will turn good tomorrow.

Friday 12th March 2010, 11:59AM
Weather conditions:	Cloudy
New snowfall:	Dusting
Snow depth:	Current Official Snow Depths: Grand Hirafu: Top - 290 Bottom - 170 Niseko Village: Top - 370 Bottom - 170 Annupuri: Top - 350 Bottom - 210
This morning is cloudy and pretty windy and there's been a little dusting of fairly wet snow at lower levels. Temps have started to warm up and currently it's a little over freezing at village level. The winds are out of the south and mild air will continue to move up over the region through the day and we can expect a little rain later today. Cooler air will move in tomorrow and we should see a return of snowy weather over the weekend. Monday will see temps spike higher again briefly with some more rain before turning back to snow for much of the rest of the week. Conditions are not overly pleasant out there currently with strong winds putting top lifts on hold and a bit of an icy drizzle at village level. Conditions off-piste are not great being quite crusty in most areas. Overall not a great day out there. Current Official Snow Depths: Grand Hirafu: Top - 290 Bottom - 170 Niseko Village: Top - 370 Bottom - 170 Annupuri: Top - 350 Bottom - 210 Avalanche Information: (Information as of this morning) Niseko Avalanche Info No.87 Moiwa base 6am: -3℃, no snowfall and overcast. Coastal data: SSE6m/s at Benkei cape, SSW15m/s, 1.4m waves and 1018hPa at Kamui cape. Annupuri peak: WSW14m/s, predicted to pick up to SW25m/s at noon. A strong SW wind and temperature rise is forecasted, even above 1000m, due to the approaching Low. The snow will start to melt and full depth avalanche hazards will rise in the Backbowl’s 1000m area, west face, Higashi-one and Mikaeri no sawa. Extra caution should be considered especially in slopes without cracks. Cracks are made because the snow slope releases its tension and stabilizes as wrinkles forms below it. A sudden warm up inducing a crack could trigger a full depth slide without warning signs. Those slides are extremely devastating, destroying everything on its way down. Stay away from gully bottoms in order to minimize the chance to get caught in one. Peak gates will be closed today and peak lifts operations are still undecided. The visibility is very bad above 1000m. Better stay within the course today.

Thursday 11th March 2010, 10:57AM
Weather conditions:	Partly cloudy with plenty of sunshine
New snowfall:	Dusting
Snow depth:	Current Official Snow Depths: Grand Hirafu: Top - 295 Bottom - 175 Niseko Village: Top - 375 Bottom - 180 Annupuri: Top - 350 Bottom - 210
Well the big storm that supposedly going to hit us tracked a bit further east than expected and no snow fell at all yesterday and there's only been a dusting this morning. The winds picked up though top lifts were on wind hold this morning but all appear to be running now. There's been some significant drifting up high as well and most top gates will remain closed today. Currently the clouds have mostly parted and the sun is shining. Another big low pressure system is expected to approach from the west tomorrow and a warm front will moving up it's eastern flank will cross the region later in the day. Unfortunately it will bring quite mild air and rain is expected later tomorrow into Saturday. Snow is expected from about mid mountian up though. Cooler air will return later Saturday into Sunday but the winds will turn more southerly again on Monday as another system approaches and rain is expected again this time right to the top of the peak. Beyond that it's looking like a return to cooler snowier weather. Current Official Snow Depths: Grand Hirafu: Top - 295 Bottom - 175 Niseko Village: Top - 375 Bottom - 180 Annupuri: Top - 350 Bottom - 210 Avalanche Information: (Information as of this morning) Niseko Avalanche Info No.85 Moiwa base 6am: -6℃, no snowfall. Coastal data: SE4m/s at Benkei cape, E6m/s, 0.5m waves, 1013hPa at Kamui cape. Annupuri peak 6am: SE5.1m/s, predicted to pick up to NE25m/s at noon. North-easterly gusts are forecasted due to the approaching Low. This morning, new snowfall is non-existent, slight snowdrift development due to wind-blown snow and the avalanche risk is relatively low. Peak gates are scheduled to open at 9:30, however will close as the storm picks up. Better not take it too easily today, the conditions will turn bad pretty quickly. Do not seek fresh lines in strictly off limits areas, entering those areas are severely prohibited. One track left under the rope leads many others to do the same, and finally end up in an accident. The Niseko Rules are not there to restrict the freedom, but to secure all resorts users safety and to secure the freedom to ride the out of bounds areas. Beware of cracks and hitting trees. Stay away from gully bottoms, avalanches will run through there.

Thursday 11th March 2010, 10:57AM
Weather conditions:	Partly cloudy with plenty of sunshine
New snowfall:	Dusting
Snow depth:	Current Official Snow Depths: Grand Hirafu: Top - 295 Bottom - 175 Niseko Village: Top - 375 Bottom - 180 Annupuri: Top - 350 Bottom - 210
Well the big storm that supposedly going to hit us tracked a bit further east than expected and no snow fell at all yesterday and there's only been a dusting this morning. The winds picked up though top lifts were on wind hold this morning but all appear to be running now. There's been some significant drifting up high as well and most top gates will remain closed today. Currently the clouds have mostly parted and the sun is shining. Another big low pressure system is expected to approach from the west tomorrow and a warm front will moving up it's eastern flank will cross the region later in the day. Unfortunately it will bring quite mild air and rain is expected later tomorrow into Saturday. Snow is expected from about mid mountian up though. Cooler air will return later Saturday into Sunday but the winds will turn more southerly again on Monday as another system approaches and rain is expected again this time right to the top of the peak. Beyond that it's looking like a return to cooler snowier weather. Current Official Snow Depths: Grand Hirafu: Top - 295 Bottom - 175 Niseko Village: Top - 375 Bottom - 180 Annupuri: Top - 350 Bottom - 210 Avalanche Information: (Information as of this morning) Niseko Avalanche Info No.85 Moiwa base 6am: -6℃, no snowfall. Coastal data: SE4m/s at Benkei cape, E6m/s, 0.5m waves, 1013hPa at Kamui cape. Annupuri peak 6am: SE5.1m/s, predicted to pick up to NE25m/s at noon. North-easterly gusts are forecasted due to the approaching Low. This morning, new snowfall is non-existent, slight snowdrift development due to wind-blown snow and the avalanche risk is relatively low. Peak gates are scheduled to open at 9:30, however will close as the storm picks up. Better not take it too easily today, the conditions will turn bad pretty quickly. Do not seek fresh lines in strictly off limits areas, entering those areas are severely prohibited. One track left under the rope leads many others to do the same, and finally end up in an accident. The Niseko Rules are not there to restrict the freedom, but to secure all resorts users safety and to secure the freedom to ride the out of bounds areas. Beware of cracks and hitting trees. Stay away from gully bottoms, avalanches will run through there.

Thursday 11th March 2010, 10:57AM
Weather conditions:	Partly cloudy with plenty of sunshine
New snowfall:	Dusting
Snow depth:	Current Official Snow Depths: Grand Hirafu: Top - 295 Bottom - 175 Niseko Village: Top - 375 Bottom - 180 Annupuri: Top - 350 Bottom - 210
Well the big storm that supposedly going to hit us tracked a bit further east than expected and no snow fell at all yesterday and there's only been a dusting this morning. The winds picked up though top lifts were on wind hold this morning but all appear to be running now. There's been some significant drifting up high as well and most top gates will remain closed today. Currently the clouds have mostly parted and the sun is shining. Another big low pressure system is expected to approach from the west tomorrow and a warm front will moving up it's eastern flank will cross the region later in the day. Unfortunately it will bring quite mild air and rain is expected later tomorrow into Saturday. Snow is expected from about mid mountian up though. Cooler air will return later Saturday into Sunday but the winds will turn more southerly again on Monday as another system approaches and rain is expected again this time right to the top of the peak. Beyond that it's looking like a return to cooler snowier weather. Current Official Snow Depths: Grand Hirafu: Top - 295 Bottom - 175 Niseko Village: Top - 375 Bottom - 180 Annupuri: Top - 350 Bottom - 210 Avalanche Information: (Information as of this morning) Niseko Avalanche Info No.85 Moiwa base 6am: -6℃, no snowfall. Coastal data: SE4m/s at Benkei cape, E6m/s, 0.5m waves, 1013hPa at Kamui cape. Annupuri peak 6am: SE5.1m/s, predicted to pick up to NE25m/s at noon. North-easterly gusts are forecasted due to the approaching Low. This morning, new snowfall is non-existent, slight snowdrift development due to wind-blown snow and the avalanche risk is relatively low. Peak gates are scheduled to open at 9:30, however will close as the storm picks up. Better not take it too easily today, the conditions will turn bad pretty quickly. Do not seek fresh lines in strictly off limits areas, entering those areas are severely prohibited. One track left under the rope leads many others to do the same, and finally end up in an accident. The Niseko Rules are not there to restrict the freedom, but to secure all resorts users safety and to secure the freedom to ride the out of bounds areas. Beware of cracks and hitting trees. Stay away from gully bottoms, avalanches will run through there.

PLEASE NOTE:
The Avalanche Information posted in our reports is provided courtesy of the Niseko Avalanche Insitution. For more information as well as the Niseko Rules 2009/2010, please read this.

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