Niseko Now: Monday 16th March 2026
- Mar 16
- 4 min read
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 0cm
Snowfall at base this season 863cm
It's an overcast kind of morning with some patches of blue sky to see in limited directions. Not very contrast-y.
Forecasts seem to be telling us to expect more sun over the coming days and perhaps some mild-feeling conditions.
All lifts open as normal.
I don't know if it's the general news or something else, but I'm not feeling very talkative or easily finding words at the moment. Even with my avoidance of social media and news as much as possible, I can't avoid the insanity and stupid that seems to be going on. It might be somewhat amusing if it was a rubbish 80's movie. (And we'd probably even deem that as far-fetched and silly). But here we are, in the real world. Perhaps I should not elaborate on my thoughts further than that. I just wanted to mention a self-aware acknowledgement of my less-than-normal genki-ness.
I need to get out in the fresh air I think!
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Niseko Avalanche Report
Mountain base: -1°C, no snowfall, frozen. Moiwa 800m: -3.6°C, WNW 4.6m/s. Annupuri 1100m: -6.6°C, W 3.5m/s. Niseko Village 1000m: -5.4°C, WNW 1.4m/s. Hirafu Hanazono 1000m: -6.0°C, N 2.0m/s. Hanazono 800m: -2.7°C, NNE 3.4m/s. Sea of Japan Benkei Cape: NNW 8m/s. Kamui Cape: W 6m/s, 1019hPa, wave height unknown.
The pressure gradient is loose, and both sea and mountain are calm with cold air flowing in. Major gates will open. Understand the risks before heading out-of-bounds; the area outside is not a ski resort. We are seeing a resurgence of people crossing ropes who either do not know or disregard the Niseko Rules. Do not enter strictly prohibited areas. Do not duck the ropes along the courses. Currently, the risk of full-depth glide avalanches is high in all south-facing valleys. To avoid accidents, refrain from skiing in the gully bottoms. Use particular caution below 800m, where rising temperatures are accelerating snowmelt. In the past, a young man skiing in the prohibited Yunosawa area after 4:00 PM was buried by an avalanche from the sidewall; he was not found until June. Nature is unforgiving of mistakes, regardless of race, nationality, or experience. Act wisely. This sport is fun, but it can sometimes take a life.
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Niseko HANAZONO Resort
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 0cm
Base: 0cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 290cm (no change since yesterday)
Base: 170cm (no change since yesterday)
Planned night lift operations:
Gondola until 7:00pm
Planned last day of the season:
Sunday 12th April
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Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 0cm
Base: 0cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 355cm (-10cm change since yesterday)
Base: 90cm (-10cm change since yesterday)
Planned night lift operations:
Ace Gondola, Ace Family quad, King Gondola and King Holiday pair until 7:00pm
Planned last day of the season:
Wednesday 6th May
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Niseko Village Ski Resort
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 255cm (no change since yesterday)
Base: 153cm (no change since yesterday)
Planned night lift operations:
Upper Village Gondola, Village Express and Banzai Chair until 7:00pm
Planned last day of the season:
Sunday 12th April
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Niseko Annupuri Kokusai
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 0cm
Base: 0cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 270cm (no change since yesterday)
Base: 140cm (no change since yesterday)
Planned night lift operations:
Jumbo Number 1 quad until 7:30pm
Planned last day of the season:
Wednesday 6th May
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Niseko Moiwa has a planned closing date of Sunday 5th April.
Asahigaoka ski area (near Kutchan Station) closed on 8th March.
Niseko Now2025-2026 season |
Data as of Monday 16th March 2026 Total snowfall at base so far 863cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 87 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 36cm (on 12th January) November 2025 snowfall 29cm reported on 7 days December 2025 snowfall 189cm reported on 23 days January 2026 snowfall 451cm reported on 28 days February 2026 snowfall 154cm reported on 19 days March 2026 snowfall 40cm 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.