Niseko Now: Monday 24th December 2018
- Dec 24, 2018
- 3 min read
Updated: Dec 4, 2025
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 7cm
Snowfall at base this season 300cm
Posted on Monday 24th December 2018 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here
Ho ho ho! It's Christmas!
Well, that's what some people are telling me. I'm sure back home it used to be on the 25th December; I have perhaps been here in Japan for too long. Anyway, I'll do the same tomorrow so we get double Christmas. Anyone spot Santa-san on the slopes yesterday? I saw a few 'Fake' Santa-san out at a restaurant last night. Naughty!
OK serious hat on. I have measured 7cm of fresh snow on the ground this morning and it is most definitely feeling colder. Not a massive amount but it looks good quality stuff. Light snow has been falling though it's not just right now. Lots of cloud around and even a few areas where they look like they are breaking up - but generally cloud and light snow appears to be the forecast for the day.
It looks like there's some serious snow on the way from the second half of the week so we should be ending the year in style. Until today I have measured 216cm of snowfall in December 2018. I measured a total of 406cm during the whole of December last year. That might be a difficult number to chase, but let's give it a go!
Have a fine day everyone.
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Niseko Avalanche Report
Mountain Base 6.00am: -7°, 10cm new snow in the last 12 hrs, currently snowing. Moiwa 800m: -11°, NW10m/s, 20cm new snow, snow drift development, mild blizzard. Hirafu peak ridge line: -14°, N15m/s, 15cm new snow, small amount snowdrift development. Coastal data: Benkei Cape: NNW12m/s. Kamui Cape: WNW11m/s, 1013hPa, wave 1.9m.
The weather has changed to a typical winter weather pattern with an increase in cornice and snow drift development on the mountain. From observation and data, on leeward knolls and 40deg slopes around 1000m a 30cm slab(snowdrift) is fracturing on 22-23 Dec layer. Above 1000m the avalanche risk is moderately high. The snow in the trees is good but with only 20-30cm you are still hitting bottom, so be careful hitting unseen undulations and old tracks. Visibility is poor in low light.
Although the snow depth is increasing there still isn’t enough snowpack for the resorts to open access to ride out of bounds. Do not duck ropes to go out of bounds. All it takes is one person to duck the ropes making a track, then others follow, increasing the chance of an accident. Be careful of frostbite. Have a good day.
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Ski resort operation information: Monday 24th December 2018
The below information is manually checked each morning and believed to be correct at time of report.
Subject to change!
Niseko Grand Hirafu
Official snow depth (reported by resort):
- Peak: 195cm
- Base: 90cm
Ski lifts operating:
- All lifts apart from Ace Number 4 pair lift and King Number 2 quad lifts are operating
Niseko HANAZONO Resort
Official snow depth (reported by resort):
- Peak: 132cm
- Base: 90cm
Ski lifts operating:
- All Hanazono lifts are operating
Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Courses:
- All courses are now open
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Niseko Annupuri
Official snow depth (reported by resort):
- Peak: 170cm
- Base: 90cm
Ski lifts operating:
- All Annupuri lifts are operating
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Niseko Village
Official snow depth (reported by resort):
- Peak: 170cm
- Base: 95cm
Ski lifts operating:
- All lifts apart from Morino Chair and Country Road Chair are operating
Niseko Now 2018-2019 season |
Data as of Monday 24th December 2018 Total snowfall at base so far 300cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 27 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 25cm (23rd November and 14th December) November 2018 snowfall 84cm reported on 8 days December 2018 snowfall 216cm reported on 19 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.