Niseko Now: Friday 17th January 2025
- Jan 17, 2025
- 5 min read
Updated: Dec 9, 2025
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 10cm
Snowfall at base this season 465cm
Posted on Friday 17th January 2025 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here
It is a cold and snowy morning here - nice big flakes again at the moment - with generally limited visibility. Hopefully we will get continued snow through the day.
Some sunshine is generally forecast for tomorrow, maybe after a cloudy start.
Hirafu haven't updated their data yet, so that is a ? for today.
The line of folks waiting for the first gondola at Hirafu (at 8:15am) is looking particularly long this morning (see the third image below). If it gets any longer, the people at the back might be hiking up to the top of t'gondola. Good exercise, for sure, affording an extra piece of toast!
10cm of fresh snow to add to my report this morning. And on that note...
We are now in the second half of January, and I thought it might be interesting to take a look at where we stood with snowfall after the first half of the month (ie. not taking into account today’s report).
As of yesterday, I had observed snowfall on 12 days in January with a total of 106cm. The most in one report (21cm) was on 2nd January. And the total snowfall for the season was 455cm.
If you recall in my recap on 1st January, I noted that we would normally hope to be getting 3m (or more, of course) of snow. Here’s previous January data as a reminder:
January 2025: 106cm (* 1st-16th January)
January 2024: 298cm
January 2023: 332cm
January 2022: 325cm
January 2021: 387cm
January 2020: 224cm
January 2019: 285cm
January 2018: 305cm
January 2017: 152cm
January 2016: 303cm
January 2015: 257cm
January 2014: 461cm
January 2013: 443cm
Hmmm. It feels like the pace is going to have to step up somewhat in the second half of the month if we are going to hit 3m for the month.
As always, it is important to emphasise that these numbers are the quantity of snowfall (at base), which is only part of the story of the season. Nothing to do with quality.
Quantity is, however, one thing that can be measured and compared.
In contrast, expectations and opinions about snow 'quality' vary greatly person to person, and that is a whole different and complicated matter (and not one that I force my personal opinion on).
And that is one reason why simply comparing (and over-thinking) the snowfall data on the different Now reports on this site is... flawed. In any season.
Obviously, quantity AND quality is the most super excite combination.
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Niseko Avalanche Report
Mountain base -7℃, 10cm snowfall in 12h (30cm in 24h). Moiwa 800m: -11.8℃, NNW11.1m/s (wind picked up from 2am). Annupuri1100m: -14.3℃, NW7.1m/s (15m/s after 4am). Hirafu Hanazono 1000m: -14.0℃, NNW6.7m/s. Coastal data: Benkei cape N15m/s, Kamui cape N10m/s, 1012hPa, 0.9m waves.
The atmospheric pressure gradient got steeper and a northerly wind picked up after 2am. Cornices and snowdrifts are developing, windload snow are forming slabs in leeward slopes. The avalanche risk in 1200m Backbowl sidewalls, Annupuri cornice slopes and upper Higashi-One is HIGH. Soft slabs have reset the tracks in the treeruns under 800m elevation. Gates opening is yet to be determined, please follow the ski patrol’s instructions. The snowfall amount is small, but the groomers condition is excellent today. Avalanches are natural phenomena that can occur anytime when the conditions align. Do not stay put at the bottom of the bowl/gully. Be careful not to trigger a slide carelessly. Tour/group leaders are responsible for their party’s safety. Ducking ropes is strictly prohibited in Niseko. Always use the gates to go out of bounds. Please respect the Niseko Rules. Is your avalanche transceiver switched on? Beware of hitting trees and frostbites. Have a nice day.
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Individual ski area information for Friday 17th January 2025
The below snow depth and snowfall numbers are manually checked each morning from official sources.
Lift information is the planned operations for the day at the time of writing.
Niseko HANAZONO Resort
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 20cm
Base: 15cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 230cm (+10cm change since yesterday)
Base: 195cm (+15cm change since yesterday)
Lifts:
All lifts are scheduled to be operating
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: ?cm
Base: ?cm
Lifts:
All scheduled lifts are operating
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 snow depth (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 165cm (no change since yesterday)
Base: 140cm (+5cm change since yesterday)
Lifts:
All lifts are operating
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 snow depth (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 190cm (no change since yesterday)
Base: 130cm (no change since yesterday)
Lifts:
All scheduled lifts are operating
The Jumbo Number 1 quad lift is scheduled to be open until 7:30pm
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Niseko Moiwa Ski Resort
Lifts:
All scheduled lifts are operating
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Night skiing
Floodlit night skiing is planned daily until Wednesday 23rd March 2025
Niseko Now 2024-2025 season |
Data as of Friday 17th January 2025 Total snowfall at base so far 465cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 49 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 23cm (16th December) November 2024 snowfall 38cm reported on 8 days December 2024 snowfall 311cm reported on 28 days January 2025 snowfall 116cm reported on 13 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.