Niseko Now: Saturday 15th March 2025
- Mar 15, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: Dec 9, 2025
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 15cm
Snowfall at base this season 749cm
Posted on Saturday 15th March 2025 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here
Good morning from Niseko.
And a very good morning it is! And not just because I've had some yummy toast and coffee.
We have received a lovely layer of fresh snow and it is not as windy, so we should be able to get up there to enjoy the entire mountain. Wonderful. Hopefully there is more to come across the next several days.
Hirafu is reporting as much as 30cm of fresh snowfall on the mountain (and are going with the same at base, which seems rather 'optimistic'). I am going to investigate.
As I am about to post this report, the sun is shining through the clouds, too.
I know I go on about this a lot through the season, but as someone who tries to collect this information every morning:
I do wonder why Niseko Village and Niseko Annupuri ski areas are so lax in updating their new snowfall data each morning. Niseko Annupuri seems to updated... sometimes and at random. But, once again, Niseko Village is reporting '0cm' of snowfall, which is pretty much what they report most days of the season, whether there has been any snow or not. I think next season I might keep a tally on the official snowfall numbers each day and see how that turns out. That might be quite funny, actually.
This observation is not about me querying specific numbers. Rather, the fact that they just don't seem bothered to report anything at all. On official resources. Is this not the most premier ski resort in Japan? Answers on a postcard, please.
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Niseko Avalanche Report
Moutain base -1℃, 15cm snowfall, calm but some gusts remaining. Moiwa 800m: -6.2℃, NNW10.4m/s, large snowdrift and cornice developments. Mikaeri 750m: -9℃, N1.0m/s, good visibility. Annupuri 1100m: -8.3℃, NNW5.4m/s, cornice development. Hirafu Hanazono 1000m: -8.1℃, NNE8.3m/s. Coastal data: Benkei cape N8m/s, Kamui cape N6m/s, 1024hPa, 1.6m waves.
The isobars spread out and gusts in high elevation are less frequent. Snowfall ceased and the cornices and snowdrifts developments slowed down. The newly formed slabs are stabilizing, however the avalanche risk will remain high in open steep slopes around 900m Mikaeri bowl, 1000m Annupuri bowl, Back bowl sidewalls and Higashi-One cornice slopes. Avalanches and falling cornices are also expected at the resort’s sidebanks and under chairlifts. All gates are expected to open. Please follow the ski patrol’s instructions at gates. The weight of largely developed snowdrifts can be a risk to an avalanche. The deposition of snow in these windloaded slabs are not uniform. Please be extra careful until the snowpack consolidates. Do not stimulate knolls, do not traverse under cornices, do not stay put at the bottom of the gullies. Is your avalanche beacon switched on? There is no safety guaranteed in this sport. Gate 6 will be taken down tomorrow as the Moiwa Quad operation will end. Have a nice day.
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Individual ski area information for Saturday 15th March 2025
The below snow depth and snowfall numbers are manually checked each morning from official sources.
Niseko HANAZONO Resort
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 20cm
Base: 10cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 310cm (+15cm change since yesterday)
Base: 215cm (+17cm change since yesterday)
Lifts:
The gondola is scheduled to be open until 7:00pm
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Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 30cm
Base: 30cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 355cm (+15cm change since yesterday)
Base: 140cm (+5cm change since yesterday)
Lifts:
The Ace Gondola, Ace Family quad, King Gondola and King Holiday pair lifts are scheduled to be open until 7:00pm
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Niseko Village Ski Resort
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 0cm * it never seems to snow here
Base: 0cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 220cm (no change since yesterday)
Base: 140cm (no change since yesterday)
Lifts:
The Upper Village Gondola, Village Express and Banzai Chair lifts are scheduled to be open until 7:00pm
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Niseko Annupuri Kokusai
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 0cm * sigh
Base: 0cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 260cm (no change since yesterday)
Base: 120cm (no change since yesterday)
Lifts:
The Jumbo Number 1 quad lift is scheduled to be open until 7:30pm
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Night skiing
Floodlit night skiing is planned daily until Sunday 23rd March 2025
Niseko Now 2024-2025 season |
Data as of Saturday 15th March 2025 Total snowfall at base so far 749cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 87 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 24cm (6th February) November 2024 snowfall 38cm reported on 8 days December 2024 snowfall 311cm reported on 28 days January 2025 snowfall 161cm reported on 19 days February 2025 snowfall 196cm reported on 24 days March 2025 snowfall 43cm reported on 8 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.