Niseko Now: Thursday 13th December 2018
- Dec 13, 2018
- 4 min read
Updated: Dec 4, 2025
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 3cm
Snowfall at base this season 210cm
Posted on Thursday 13th December 2018 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here
This morning I have 3cm of fresh snowfall to report to you.
Don't be disappointed, because it is a beautiful morning here. There are just few tiny clouds here and there but for the most part it is blue skies and sunshine. And everywhere is looking really beautiful. Winter scenery on a morning like this is just something to behold. I never get tired of it and I hope that I never will.
As areas continue to open up, specific news I have for you is that the HANAZONO Park course area is now open - the course, not items - meaning that pretty much all of Hanazono is now available. All of the Green Course at Niseko Grand Hirafu is also now open.
Over at Niseko Annupuri, they now have six courses available - Utopia, Silver, Shirakaba, Paradise, Family and Junior.
So we're getting there! It will be interesting to see when we will be able to be officially 'all open'.
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Niseko Avalanche Report
Mountain Base 6.00am: -6°, light winds, sunny, 10cm new snow in last 12 hours. Moiwa 700m: -6°, light winds, trace new snowfall, no snowdrift development, good visibility. Coastal data: Benkei Cape: E6m/s. Kamui Cape: NE3m/s, 1018hPa, wave 1.4m.
The sea and mountains are calm again today and the atmospheric pressure gradient remains shallow. The east side of the niseko mountains has received a little more snow than the west side. Below 300m at Mt Yotei base a hoar frost layer has formed. This Dec 13th layer is expected to be notable in future snowpack. On south facing steep slopes around 700m and lift lines around 600m, fractures up to 30cm from Dec 11th-12th frost layer are easily occurring. Be careful on 40deg slopes. The general avalanche risk is low.
Off the groomed runs trees and bushes are still uncovered making out of bounds areas unsuitable to ride. The gates will remain closed for a while longer. The groomers are in fantastic condition. Off the groomers - not so good. Beware falling and hitting trees, you can never win. A winter weather pattern will get stronger, sending wind and more into Niseko soon. Just have to wait a bit now.
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Ski resort operation information: Thursday 13th December 2018
The below information is manually checked each morning and believed to be correct at time of report
Niseko Grand Hirafu
Part open
Official snow depth (reported by resort):
- Peak: 145cm
- Base: 60cm
Ski lifts operating:
- Ace Family quad (until 8:30pm)
- Ace Number 2 Center Four (until 8:20pm)
- Ace Number 3 pair (until 3:30pm)
- Hirafu Gondola (until 4:30pm)
- Holiday Number 1 Pair (until 4:30pm)
- King Number 3 quad (until 3:30pm)
- Swinging Monkey (until 3:00pm)
Niseko HANAZONO Resort
Mostly open
Official snow depth (reported by resort):
- Peak: 110cm
- Base: 82cm
Ski lifts operating:
- Hanazono Number 1 quad (until 3:30pm)
- Hanazono Number 2 quad (until 3:30pm)
- Hanazono Number 3 quad (until 3:00pm)
Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Courses:
- All courses apart from the below courses are now open
- Path to King
- Onsenzawa
- Large
- Konayuki
- Miharashi
- Dynamic
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Niseko Annupuri
Part open
Official snow depth (reported by resort):
- Peak: 120cm
- Base: 60cm
Ski lifts operating:
- Annupuri Gondola (until 3:15pm)
- Dream Number 1 quad (until 5:30pm)
- Jumbo Number 1 quad (until 8:30pm)
- Jumbo Number 3 pair (until 3:15pm)
Courses:
- Utopia
- Silver
- Shirakaba
- Paradise
- Family
- Junior
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Niseko Village
Part open
Official snow depth (reported by resort):
- Peak: 120cm
- Base: 80cm
Ski lifts operating:
- Niseko Gondola (until 3:00pm)
- Upper Village Gondola (until 8:00pm)
- Village Express (until 8:00pm)
- Community Chair (until 4:30pm)
- Banzai Chair (until 8:00pm)
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Night time operations are available in the Niseko Grand Hirafu, Niseko Village and Niseko Annupuri resort areas.
There is no nighta at the Niseko HANAZONO resort area.
Niseko Now 2018-2019 season |
Data as of Thursday 13th December 2018 Total snowfall at base so far 210cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 18 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 25cm (23rd November) November 2018 snowfall 84cm reported on 8 days December 2018 snowfall 126cm reported on 10 days |
All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Kutchan/Niseko. The 'new snowfall' number represents the amount of snow measured since the previous report. All opinions are those of the individual reporters. Information regarding ski area operations is manually checked every morning and is believed to be correct at the time of the report.