Niseko Now: Monday 13th February 2023
- Feb 13, 2023
- 4 min read
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 2cm
Snowfall at base this season 818cm
Posted on Monday 13th February 2023 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here
It's another of those mornings where it's quite bright with some blue sky in places, and light snow lazily falling in others (Village). Even over there in Village, though, it is quite bright and some blue sky opening up too. It always looks so pretty when it snows and the sun is shining too. A fine early morning, I would say, and for the moment it feels like there is going to be increasingly blue sky.
There has been just a little snowfall since yesterday though I see that Hirafu and Hanazono are both reporting 10cm.
Hopefully we will be getting larger amounts tomorrow and the day after. It should be a bit colder too.
All of the ski areas are opening as normal this morning.
Anyway, that's all I have. See you tomorrow.
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Niseko Avalanche Report
Mountain base: -5C, no new snow. Moiwa 800m: -7.2C, WNW0.4m/s, no new snow, snowdrift development, good visibility. Annupuri 1100m: -9.9C, NNW3.2m/s, snow drift development, good visibility. Mizuno no Sawa top: -9.3C, NNE2.0m/s. Hirafu Hanazono: -10.0C, N0.6m/s. Hanazono#3: -7.8℃, WNW0.0m/s. Coastal data: Benkei Cape SW2.0m/s, Kamui Cape E3m/s, 1017hPa, 1.0m waves.
An inflow of cold air has caused radiative cooling overnight and a thin surface frost has formed on the surface. This combined with the low pressure snowfall on the 11th is expected to become a weak layer in the future snowpack. From observation, tests and data the general avalanche risk is low. Peak gates are expected to be open. Below 800m the mountain is still tracked out from yesterday, but above 800m, yesterday afternoon's snowfall and a bit of wind has reset the surface in places. However, watch out for hard tracks under the fresh snow. Conditions on the groomers are good. Never duck ropes to enter strictly off limits areas. Visibility is good today, so you will be easy to spot. In Niseko there are “Niseko Rules” and it is strictly forbidden to duck ropes. The days are getting longer and it feels like spring. Have a good day and be careful of changes in the weather.
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Ski area information for Monday 13th February 2023
The below snow depth and snowfall numbers are manually checked each morning from official sources.
Lift information is the planned operations for the day, weather permitting.
Official snow depth numbers in brackets show the change since previous report.
Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 10cm
- Base: 10cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 360cm (no change since yesterday)
- Base: 160cm (no change since yesterday)
Lifts:
- Ace Family quad [* open until for 7:00pm for night skiing]
- Ace Number 2 quad (Center Four) [* open until for 7:00pm for night skiing]
- Ace Number 3 pair
- Hirafu Gondola
- Holiday Number 1 pair
- King Number 3 quad
- King Number 4
- Swinging Monkey
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Niseko HANAZONO Resort
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 10cm
- Base: 10cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 295cm (no change since yesterday)
- Base: 235cm (no change since yesterday)
Lifts:
- Hanazono Number 1
- Hanazono Number 2 quad
- Hanazono Number 3 quad
- Hanazono Symphony Gondola [* open until 7:00pm for night skiing]
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Niseko Annupuri Kokusai
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 10cm
- Base: 10cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 260cm (no change since yesterday)
- Base: 180cm (no change since yesterday)
Lifts:
- Annupuri Gondola
- Dream Number 1 quad
- Jumbo Number 1 quad [* open until 7:30pm for night skiing]
- Jumbo Number 2 pair
- Jumbo Number 3 pair [* normally open on weekends and holidays]
- Jumbo Number 4 pair
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Niseko Village Ski Resort
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 215cm (no change since yesterday)
- Base: 195cm (+5cm since yesterday)
Lifts:
- Niseko Gondola
- Upper Village Gondola
- Village Express
- Community Chair [* open until 7:00pm for night skiing]
- Banzai Chair [* open until 7:00pm for night skiing]
- Wonderland Chair
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Niseko Moiwa Ski Resort
Lifts:
- Number 1 pair lift
- Number 2 pair lift
- Quad lift
Niseko Now 2022-2023 season |
Data as of Monday 13th February 2023 Total snowfall at base so far 818cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 71 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 24cm (27th & 28th January, 6th February) November 2022 snowfall 17cm reported on 5 days December 2022 snowfall 336cm reported on 27 days January 2023 snowfall 332cm reported on 27 days February 2023 snowfall 133cm reported on 12 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.