Niseko Now: Monday 1st April 2024
- Apr 1, 2024
- 5 min read
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 4cm
Snowfall at base this season 883cm
Posted on Monday 1st April 2024 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here
Good morning from Niseko.
We start April with some fresh snow. Really!
And the sun is out this morning. It's a fine morning and it should be fun up on the mountain.
Less lifts moving from this morning and I will elaborate further on that situation tomorrow.
Thanks Ace Number 2 Center Four lift. Now resting after carrying lots of people up the mountain for 38 years.
And now for something completely different...
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A look back at the season so far: until end of March 2024
The numbers I introduce in this report are all snowfall measurements I have observed near the base of Hirafu. The numbers are all year-on-year comparable because they have come from the same spot every day over the last 12 seasons. Also, remember, there is usually more snow at higher elevations than are base, etc. More on the About page on the top tab of this report.
OK so how did March go? Here is how much snowfall I have measured during the month of March over the most recent 12 seasons.
March 2024: 70cm
March 2023: 32cm
March 2022: 81cm
March 2021: 79cm
March 2020: 59cm
March 2019: 45cm
March 2018: 49cm
March 2017: 83cm
March 2016: 109cm
March 2015: 139cm
March 2014: 113cm
March 2013: 164cm
I was able to report snow on 12 days in March 2024, with seven of those in the first ten days of the month.
So, unlike some other regions of Japan that enjoyed a rather unexpected and snowy March, we didn’t get that up here. Still, it was more than last season and fairly average for March in recent years.
As a guide to what we might expect from April, here’s the snowfall numbers for that month in recent years:
April 2023: 0cm (doh!)
April 2022: 2cm
April 2021: 9cm
April 2020: 10cm
April 2019: 6cm
April 2018: 13cm
April 2017: 0cm (doh!)
April 2016: 6cm
April 2015: 3cm
April 2014: 13cm
April 2013: 32cm
Basically, we shouldn’t expect much (any) snow in April... and just be pleasantly surprised if we get any. (* See the pleasant surprise of fresh snowfall in this report!)
Here’s the total snowfall number for the season (up until 31st March 2024), compared with the total snowfall for other seasons.
2023-2024 season: 879cm (until 31st March 2024)
2022-2023 season: 1006cm
2021-2022 season: 1137cm
2020-2021 season: 1210cm
2019-2020 season: 728cm
2018-2019 season: 951cm
2017-2018 season: 1260cm
2016-2017 season: 686cm
2015-2016 season: 989cm
2014-2015 season: 1144cm
2013-2014 season: 1163cm
2012-2013 season: 1491cm
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Some thoughts at the end of March
I have been thinking about what I could talk about this month, but not really coming up with much (other than what I have said above).
I suppose the main headline for March hasn’t really involved us here in Niseko...
After low snowfall this season in many regions of the country, March really seemed to deliver for some places with record amounts of snowfall (for the month of March). A fair few of the other daily reports on SnowJapan seemed to mention how March was much more winter-like than February. That welcome snow revived the fortunes of some ski areas that, at one point, were looking like they might not make it through March. Some even enjoyed their best conditions of the season!
Sadly, it was too late for some that had already closed.
Interesting that we didn’t get a similar ‘big-snow’ March up here in this region.
It all adds to the feeling that Nature’s patterns are getting increasingly... wonky.
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I will continue to post daily reports until the last day of the season. As always, it will be interesting to see how the last stretch of the season develops. Will it warm up much? Will the ski areas be able to remain open until 6th May? Those questions will be answered!
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Individual ski area information for Monday 1st April 2024
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 and subject to change.
Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 5cm
- Base: 5cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 300cm (+5cm since yesterday)
- Base: 65cm (+5cm since yesterday)
Planned closing date (subject to conditions):
- Monday 6th May 2024
Lifts (scheduled):
- Hirafu Gondola, Holiday Number 1 pair, King Number 3 quad and King Number 4 remain open
- Last lift closes at 4:30pm
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Niseko HANAZONO Resort
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 5cm
- Base: 5cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 240cm (no change since yesterday)
- Base: 135cm (-5cm since yesterday)
Planned closing date (subject to conditions):
- Sunday 7th April 2024
Lifts (scheduled):
- All lifts are operating
- Last lift closes at 4:00pm
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Niseko Annupuri Kokusai
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 220cm
- Base: 110cm
Planned closing date (subject to conditions):
- Monday 6th May 2024
Lifts (scheduled):
- All lifts operating apart from the Jumbo Number 2 and Number 3 pair lifts
- Last lift closes at 4:30pm
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Niseko Village Ski Resort
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 205cm (-5cm since yesterday)
- Base: 104cm (-1cm since yesterday)
Planned closing date (subject to conditions):
- Sunday 7th April 2024
Lifts (scheduled):
- Niseko Gondola, Village Express, Banzai Chair and Wonderland Chair remain open
- Last lift closes at 4:30pm
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Niseko Moiwa Ski Resort
Planned closing date (subject to conditions):
- Sunday 7th April 2024
Lifts (scheduled):
- Number 1 and Number 2 pair lifts are operating
- Last lift closes at 3:30pm
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Night skiing has now finished for the 2023-2024 season.
Niseko Now 2023-2024 season |
Data as of Monday 1st April 2024 Total snowfall at base so far 883cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 93 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 62cm (8th January) November 2023 snowfall 120cm reported on 11 days December 2023 snowfall 247cm reported on 24 days January 2024 snowfall 298cm reported on 24 days February 2024 snowfall 144cm reported on 20 days March 2024 snowfall 70cm reported on 13 days April 2024 snowfall 4cm reported on 1 day |
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.