Niseko Now: Tuesday 24th December 2024
- Dec 24, 2024
- 4 min read
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 14cm
Snowfall at base this season 279cm
Posted on Tuesday 24th December 2024 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here
Good morning from Niseko on this Christmas Eve.
It is snowing this morning and I have another 14cm to report. If it continues snowing like it is right now, those cm should be further adding up pretty quickly this morning. It feels a bit windy but lifts appear to be opening as scheduled at the start of the day.
Forecasts for the week ahead also look promising for continued regular snowfall.
All is (very!) good.
I have heard rumo(u)rs that Santa has already been spotted around town and has even been giving out presents before the big day. Christmas in Japan always seems to happen more on the 24th, rather than the 25th (and very soon after, all the decorations are taken down to be replaced with traditional Japanese New Year decorations). Having said that, this is Niseko, so the 'foreign' influence might make proceedings more Western than they are in most of Japan.
This year, I think I'll refrain from banging on about the traditional Japanese Christmas traditions that date back well before the Edo period, including the eating of Kentucky Fried Chicken (or substitute when not available) and delightfully light sponge cake. ;)
And remember, other ski areas might claim to be hosting the big man today and tomorrow, but the real one comes to Niseko. A wise man, indeed!
Heads up. I have some commitments to see to tomorrow morning. I will, of course, post a Niseko Now report, but it will be appear much later than usual. In the meantime, ho ho ho and all that!
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Niseko Avalanche Report
Mountain base: -7℃, 10cm light snow overnight, good visibility. Yesterday's snowfall peaked at 4pm, 40cm with no slab formation. Moiwa 800m: -8.5℃, NNW4.0m/s, NE slab development fracturing at 40cm. Annupuri 1100m: -10.6℃, NNW5.8m/s, clear sky at 2am, up to 60cm slab development. Hanazono 1000m: -10.8℃, NNE5.5m/s. Mikaeri 750m: -10.0℃, NNE1.3m/s, snow depth increased, slab development. Coastal data: Benkei Cape: NW14m/s, Kamui Cape: NNE6m/s, 1012hPa, 1.4m waves.
Yesterday's snowfall formed new soft slabs, above 800m up to 50cm thick in some areas. In tests, slabs fractured at 40cm, but these will consolidate and stabilize over time. From data evaluation the overall avalanche risk is low. In winter there is no safe place on cornice slopes or valley side walls. If you ski, be careful. Do not all ski at the same time, do not traverse the slope, and do not rest at the valley bottom. There is a beacon checker at Moiwa Gate 6. Beacons are not mandatory, but are recommended. The snow is wonderful in the forest. Be careful not to fall into a creek, the water is cold. Have a good day.
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Individual ski area information for Tuesday 24th December 2024
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.
Niseko HANAZONO Resort
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 20cm
Base: 12cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 180cm (+10cm change since yesterday)
Base: 142cm (+4cm change since yesterday)
Lifts:
All four lifts scheduled to be operating
Courses:
All courses scheduled to be open
Gondola open until 7:00pm
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Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 15cm
Base: 5cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 210cm (no change since yesterday)
Base: 105cm (-5cm change since yesterday)
Lifts:
Ace Family quad (open until 7:00pm)
Ace Gondola (open until 7:00pm)
Ace Number 3 pair
King Gondola (open until 7:00pm)
King Holiday pair (open until 7:00pm)
King Number 3 quad
Swinging Monkey
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Niseko Village Ski Resort
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 160cm (no change since yesterday)
Base: 110cm (+15cm change since yesterday)
Lifts:
Niseko Gondola
Upper Village Gondola (open until 7:00pm)
Village Express (open until 7:30pm)
Community Chair
Banzai Chair (open for night skiing until 7:30pm)
Morino Chair
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Niseko Annupuri Kokusai
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 180cm (+20cm change since yesterday)
Base: 120cm (-5cm change since yesterday)
Lifts:
Annupuri Gondola
Dream Number 1 quad
Jumbo Number 1 quad (open until 7:30pm)
Jumbo Number 2 pair
Jumbo Number 3 pair
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Niseko Moiwa Ski Resort
Lifts:
Number 1 pair lift
Number 2 pair lift
Quad lift
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Night skiing
Floodlit night skiing is planned daily until Wednesday 23rd March 2025.
Niseko Now 2024-2025 season |
Data as of Tuesday 24th December 2024 Total snowfall at base so far 279cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 29 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 23cm (16th December) November 2024 snowfall 38cm reported on 8 days December 2024 snowfall 241cm reported on 21 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.