Niseko Now: Saturday 23rd December 2023
- Dec 23, 2023
- 3 min read
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 16cm
Snowfall at base this season 301cm
Posted on Saturday 23rd December 2023 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here
Good morning from Niseko.
Ah yes, some more snow on this very cold Christmas Eve Eve morning. I have just measured 16cm of it. And lovely it is too.
Top lifts (and gates) aside, most of the main runs on the mountain are now available and conditions on them should be very pleasing. Hurray!
I feel a bit short on words this morning, but have a lovely day.
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Niseko Avalanche Report
Mountain Base 6am : -10C, 20cm aeolian snow over last 12hrs. Mikaeri 764m: -12.5C, 30cm aerolien snow from the west. Hanazono 1000m: -15.9C, ESE3.6m/s, 15cm new snow. Hanazono 3 : -12.9.2C, NNW4.6m/s,(max 12m/s). Other locations : instrumentation not installed, no data. Coastal data: Benkei Cape:NW11m/s. Kamui Cape WSW11m/s, 1019hPa, wave 1.9m.
There is a weak winter-like atmospheric pressure distribution with little snowfall overnight. From observation and data snow drifts are developing slowly at the 1000m tree line and the avalanche risk is low. Valley exits from out of bounds areas are still full of bamboo and other bushes, making it impossible to get out, so off-course skiing from the ski resort is still not possible. Do not duck ropes. Although the sun sometimes comes out the light is weak. Be careful of obstacles. The slopes are excellent. The fresh snow on the side of the course is also cold and fast. Be careful of frostbite. The amount of snow is slowly increasing. Have a nice day.
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Individual ski area information for Saturday 23rd December 2023
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: 20cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 220cm (+10cm since yesterday)
- Base: 75cm (-15cm since yesterday)
Lifts:
- Ace Family quad (until 7:00pm)
- Ace Number 2 quad (Center Four) (until 7:00pm)
- Ace Number 3 pair
- Hirafu Gondola (until 7:00pm)
- Holiday Number 1 pair (until 7:00pm)
- King Number 3 quad
- Swinging Monkey
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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: 140cm (no change since yesterday)
- Base: 95cm (no change since yesterday)
Lifts:
- Hanazono Number 1
- Hanazono Number 2 quad
- Hanazono Number 3 quad
- Hanazono Symphony Gondola (until 7:00pm)
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Niseko Annupuri Kokusai
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 20cm
- Base: 15cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 140cm (+10cm since yesterday)
- Base: 100cm (no change since yesterday)
Lifts:
- Annupuri Gondola
- Dream Number 1 quad
- Jumbo Number 1 quad (until 7:30pm)
- Jumbo Number 2 pair
- Jumbo Number 3 pair
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Niseko Village Ski Resort
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 148cm
- Base: 93cm
Lifts:
- Niseko Gondola
- Upper Village Gondola (until 7:00pm)
- Village Express (until 7:00pm)
- Community Chair
- Banzai Chair (until 7:00pm)
- Morino Chair
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Niseko Moiwa Ski Resort
Lifts:
- Number 1 pair
- Number 2 pair
- Quad
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Floodlit night skiing is planned daily until Wednesday 20th March 2024.
Night skiing is usually until 7:00pm at Hirafu, Hanazono, Village and until 7:30pm at Annupuri.
Niseko Now 2023-2024 season |
Data as of Saturday 23rd December 2023 Total snowfall at base so far 301cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 27 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 31cm (18th December) November 2023 snowfall 120cm reported on 11 days December 2023 snowfall 181cm 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.