Niseko Now: Friday 1st February 2013
- Feb 1, 2013
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 16, 2025
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 0cm
Snowfall at base this season 979cm
Weather overview Cloud
Wind
Light
Temperature 3C base / -2C top
Visibility Fair to good
Posted at 8:47am on Friday 1st February 2013 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here
Getting straight to the point --- there's a chance of rain tomorrow. Freezing point is set to whizz up as high as 1000m and it's going to be another mild day.
The good news is that later on in the day it should get colder and it should be snowing by Sunday. Possibly heavy snow. Yes please. There might be stronger winds as well though over the weekend so we'll have to keep an eye out for that. If it all goes to plan we should be back to very nice conditions on Monday.
I'll fill you in on the final snow fall numbers for Kutchan for January 2013 sometime over the weekend.
Sorry about the late report today. Behind the scenes of SnowJapan a lot of changes are happening and upcoming. This morning we weren't able to make the update due to some technical issues. In the near future you'll all be able to see what the site has planned to take it forward into the coming years. I was lucky to get a sneak preview and I can say that I'm really excited to see what's in store. The guys have have been working really hard on the new version of SnowJapan for over a year and a half now, and so it's a major transformation that is in store. Otanoshi-mi-ni!
Avalanche Information
Niseko base 6am: -3C, no snowfall. Moiwa 800m: -5C, misty/humid snowfall, mild wind and no development of snowdrifts. Coastal data: SSW14m/s (Kamui cape), SE3m/s (Benkei cape), 0.8m waves and 1028hPa. Annupuri peak: WSW4.7m/s, -6.7C.
Calm morning as the isobar spacing is currently wide until the next low-pressure system approaches. Southwesterly wind is forecasted to pick up in higher altitude from noon. Gate 2 & 3 are scheduled to open at 10am, however may be closed depending on the weather conditions. A storm will pick up from later today and the avalanche risk will rise drastically. Be flexible with your plans.
Nitonupuri, Chisenupuri, Mekunnai and other peak of the Niseko range are pure mountainous areas. Thorough preparation, experience, skills and cautious thinking are necessary in these areas. There might be no glaciers here, but crevasses can form due to heavy snowfall and wind-drifts. Be extra careful when visibility is low. The weather comes in earlier in those areas, as they are located further west than the resort area. Winter mountaineering always requires extra prudence.
Snow surface is difficult to see today, beware of hitting trees and falling into cracks. Maneuver you skis/board in controllable speed. The snow is still in good condition.
Niseko Now 2012-2013 season |
Data as of Friday 1st February 2013 Total snowfall at base so far 979cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 64 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 45cm (27th January) November 2012 snowfall 118cm reported on 11 days December 2012 snowfall 418cm reported on 27 days January 2013 snowfall 443cm reported on 26 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.