Niseko Now: Sunday 17th December 2017
- Dec 17, 2017
- 3 min read
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 15cm
Snowfall at base this season 347cm
Posted on Sunday 17th December 2017 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here
Snow in the day yesterday and this morning there's 15cm of it piled up and to report from here at base.
It is another very cold morning and so I imagine that conditions should be really nice - report below mentioning things not completely reset - just get wrapped up sufficiently to get out and enjoy it. There's not much of a wind down here but it seems more so on the mountain so take that into account as well. Lifts appear to be starting up as planned though.
Let's Niseko.
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Niseko Avalanche Report:
Niseko base 6.00am: -8°, 15cm new snow, calm. Moiwa 800m : -10.6°, W5.8m/s. Annupuri 1150m: -11°, W10m/s, 30cm new snow. Hirafu 1200m: -14°, W10m/s, 20cm new snow. Coastal data: Benkei Cape:NW12m/s. Kamui Cape NW9m/s, 1010hPa, wave 2.0m.
The winter weather pattern continues and with a shallow atmospheric pressure gradient the wind is westerly wind around 15m/s. Heavy snowfall overnight. From the 5am snow test, there was no obvious snowdrift fracture. From snowfall transition and data, the avalanche risk is low below 1100m. Snow is good although not completely reset everywhere. Expect bad visibility at times, watch for the transition from the groomers into fresh snow.
Niseko Rules was established to allow you to ride out of bounds and issues this daily avalanche information to help prevent accidents out of bounds. Ropes mark the ski resort boundary's and outside the rope is not the ski resort. Use the gates to go out of bounds, do not duck the rope.
Rescue activities outside the ski resorts are charged expenses outlined by the Niseko Annupuri Area Avalanche Accident Prevention Council. Ski resorts, Patrol and local community respect your freedom to ride out of bounds and always wish for your safety. Snow is getting deeper day by day. Have a good day.
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Sunday 17th December 2017
What's planned to be open today in Niseko (subject to change):
Niseko Grand Hirafu
Lifts operating:
- Ace Number 3 Pair lift
- Ace Number 2 Center Four quad lift (* nighta)
- Ace Family quad lift (* nighta)
- King Number 3 quad lift
- Hirafu Gondola (* nighta)
- Holiday Number 1 pair lift (* nighta)
- Swinging Monkey
- King Number 4
Niseko HANAZONO Resort
Lifts operating:
- Hanazono Number 1 quad lift
- Hanazono Number 2 quad lift
- Hanazono Number 3 quad lift
Niseko Annupuri Kokusai
Lifts operating:
- Annupuri Gondola
- Jumbo Number 1 quad lift (* nighta)
- Jumbo Number 2 pair lift
- Jumbo Number 4 pair lift
- Dream Number 1 quad lift
Niseko Village
Lifts operating:
- Niseko Gondola
- Banzai Chair
- Community Chair (* nighta)
- Upper Village Gondola (* nighta)
- Village Express (* nighta)
- Wonderland Chair
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Official resort snow depths on Sunday 17th December 2017:
Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono
Top - 255cm
Base - 95cm
Niseko Annupuri Kokusai
Top - 150cm
Base - 90cm
Niseko Village
Top - 160cm
Base - 100cm
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Floodlit 'nighta' skiing:
Night skiing is planned for every evening at the Niseko Grand Hirafu, Niseko Village and Niseko Annupuri areas. There is no nighta at the Niseko HANAZONO area. Ski lifts that are scheduled to be operating for nighta are noted above.
Niseko Now 2017-2018 season |
Data as of Sunday 17th December 2017 Total snowfall at base so far 347cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 27 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 29cm (20th November) November 2017 snowfall 188cm reported on 11 days December 2017 snowfall 159cm reported on 16 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.