Niseko Now: Tuesday 1st February 2022
- Feb 1, 2022
- 4 min read
Updated: Dec 7, 2025
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 9cm
Snowfall at base this season 726cm
Posted on Tuesday 1st February 2022 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here
It's February already. Blimey. But as Niseko plans to be open until early May, it means we are still not half way through the season. That's a good way to think about it! Hopefully 'winter mode' will continue for a long time yet.
Anyway this morning I have 9cm of snowfall to report at base since yesterday morning. It's -9C outside and feels suitably cold. Light snow in places this morning but it's brighter again in others, and the sun is breaking through the clouds over at Hanazono just now.
Wind is not an issue today and all lifts and gates should be open.
Forecasts are looking good for the coming week with a fair amount of snow expected.
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Niseko Avalanche Report
Moiwa base: -10℃, calm, 5cm of light crystal snowfall. Moiwa800m: -9.2℃, WNW5.7m/s, 10cm snowfall, light snowdrift development. Annupuri1150m: -11℃, westerly 10m/s, 10cm snowfall, light snowdrift development. Hirafu peak ridge: -13℃, W10m/s, snowdrift development has paused. Coastal data: NW11m/s, Kamui cape: W9m/s, 1014hPa, 1.0m waves.
The wind and snow has dropped at night and the snowdrifts are consolidating and stabilizing. Thick snow-clouds are still appearing from time to time. The avalanche risk is lowering in most common slopes. All gates are scheduled to open. Please follow the ski patrol’s instructions. However, avalanche risk still remains high in leeward aspects around 1000m elevation. Please be cautious. O-sawa (annupuri bowl) cornice slopes and Kozan no Sawa (Backbowl) slopes should be avoided for today. The snow is faster than yesterday. Be careful not to hit trees and fall into cracks. The isobars are spreading out and the ocean is starting to calm down too. We received news that Cherry Salmons are being caught at the Shimamaki coast.
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Planned ski area operations: Tuesday 1st February 2022
The below snow depth and snowfall data is manually checked each morning from official sources.
Lift information is the planned operations for the day (nature might intervene).
Niseko Grand Hirafu
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 360cm (-10cm)
- Base: 200cm (no change)
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 5cm
- Base: 5cm
Planned lift operations (subject to weather conditions):
- Ace Family quad
- Ace Number 2 Center Four quad [* open for night skiing until 7:00pm]
- Hirafu Gondola
- King Number 3 quad
- King Number 4
- Swinging Monkey
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Niseko HANAZONO Resort
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 312cm (-8cm)
- Base: 237cm (-13cm)
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 8cm
- Base: 8cm
Planned lift operations (subject to weather conditions):
- Hanazono Number 1
- Hanazono Number 2 quad
- Hanazono Number 3 quad
- Hanazono Symphony Gondola [* open for night skiing until 7:00pm]
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Niseko Annupuri
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 250cm (no change)
- Base: 190cm (+5cm)
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 0cm
- Base: 0cm
Planned lift operations (subject to weather conditions):
- Annupuri Gondola
- Dream Number 1 quad
- Jumbo Number 1 quad [* open for night skiing until 7:30pm]
- Jumbo Number 2 pair
- Jumbo Number 3 pair
- Jumbo Number 4 pair
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Niseko Village
Planned lift operations (subject to weather conditions):
- Niseko Gondola
- Village Express
- Community Chair [* open for night skiing until 7:00pm]
- Banzai Chair
- Wonderland Chair
Niseko Now 2021-2022 season |
Data as of Tuesday 1st February 2022 Total snowfall at base so far 726cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 60 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 40cm (23rd December) November 2021 snowfall 85cm reported on 6 days December 2021 snowfall 307cm reported on 23 days January 2022 snowfall 325cm reported on 30 days February 2022 snowfall 9cm 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.