Niseko Now: Wednesday 23rd March 2022
- Mar 23, 2022
- 4 min read
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 12cm
Snowfall at base this season 1134cm
Posted on Wednesday 23rd March 2022 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here
Some really good news this morning! I just measured 12cm of fresh snow. And no doubt there is going to be more than that higher up. Indeed, Hirafu are reporting 15-25cm of fresh. Very nice.
Wind isn't an issue either and top lifts are open.
March is a funny old month, it can really surprise. In both good and bad ways, of course.
It's going to be warming up during the day (into positive numbers) so early birds might want to miss their toast - hard decision, I know - and just get out there to enjoy this fresh feeling.
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Niseko Avalanche Report
Moiwa base: -4.5℃, light wind, 30cm wet snowfall over the last 20hours. Moiwa 800m: -4.7℃, NNW0.4m/s. Annupuri 1150m: -7.2℃, WNW4.5m/s snowdrift development. Hirafu 1000m: -7.5℃, SSE2.8m/s, snowdrift development. Coastal data Benkei cape: WSW5m/s, Kamui cape: SW9m/s, 1018hPa, 1.0m waves.
Yesterday’s snow and wind after 10am developed snowfall and snowdrifts rapidly, however after 7pm snow and wind calmed down. According to the observation, snowfall transitions and weather data, wind generated new slabs are starting to settle around 900-1000m elevation, but are prone to cornice collapse or break easily by the rider’s stimulation. Avalanche risk is high on the snowdrifts slopes over 800m elevation throughout the day. Especially the slopes over 1100m elevation, slabs are slow to stabilize due to low temperature so be careful. Good snow has fallen, so gates 2 and 3 are planned to be open. Gate 1, 4, 5 and 8 will be open 1 hour after the top gates are open. Please listen to the patrols instructions and be prepared when you go outside of the gates. Bear with me on repeating this everyday but the risk of large scale glide avalanches is rising in Kozan no sawa and Annupuri Osawa. This avalanche will be triggered by the break of thick snowdrift under the cornices around 1100m elevation. Avoid leaving tracks at the bottom of the gullies. Niseko’s large-scale glide avalanche in spring time will sweep down the whole valley, over the 500m vertical drop for nearly 2km to the base of the mountain, and will destroy the forest. But if there is no one caught in those avalanches, then there will be no accidents. Avalanches are a natural phenomenon but accidents are caused by humans. The snow in the tree runs is looking good.
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Planned ski area operations: Wednesday 23rd March 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: 430cm (+15cm)
- Base: 220cm (+20cm)
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 15cm
- Base: 25cm
Planned lift operations (subject to weather conditions):
- Ace Family quad
- Ace Number 2 Center Four quad
- Hirafu Gondola
- King Number 3 quad
- King Number 4
- Swinging Monkey
Planned season:
- Night skiing has finished for the season
- Niseko Grand Hirafu plans to be open until Thursday 5th May
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Niseko HANAZONO Resort
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 355cm -
- Base: 235cm -
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: ?cm
- Base: ?cm
Planned lift operations (subject to weather conditions):
- Hanazono Number 1
- Hanazono Number 2 quad
- Hanazono Number 3 quad
- Hanazono Symphony Gondola
Planned season:
- Night skiing has finished for the season
- Niseko HANAZONO plans to be open until Sunday 3rd April
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Niseko Annupuri
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 360cm (no change)
- Base: 200cm (no change)
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
- Jumbo Number 2 pair
- Jumbo Number 4 pair
Planned season:
- Night skiing has finished for the season
- Niseko Annupuri plans to be open until Thursday 5th May
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Niseko Village
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 310cm
- Base: 205cm
Planned lift operations (subject to weather conditions):
- Niseko Gondola
- Village Express
- Community Chair [* open for night skiing until 7:00pm]
- Banzai Chair
- Wonderland Chair
Planned season:
- Night skiing has finished for the season
- Niseko Village plans to be open until Sunday 3rd April
Niseko Now 2021-2022 season |
Data as of Wednesday 23rd March 2022 Total snowfall at base so far 1134cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 97 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 40cm (23rd December and 22nd February) 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 337cm reported on 25 days March 2022 snowfall 80cm 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.