Niseko Now: Saturday 24th February 2024
- Feb 24, 2024
- 3 min read
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 1cm
Snowfall at base this season 802cm
Posted on Saturday 24th February 2024 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here
I can just about justify the 1cm in this report, coming during the day yesterday.
(Don't ask about the 10cm that Hirafu is reporting... I'm just passing the info on).
As the lifts get going this morning it is a bright but kind of overcast feel above our mountain, with more blue sky over in the other direction above Mt Yotei.
With a lot of people around, we could really be doing with our famous regular layers of fresh snowfall. The total snowfall I have measured and reported during February stands at 137cm. That is low for February (less than half what we got last February). I will of course talk more about that kind of thing in the 1st March report.
------------------
Niseko Avalanche Report
Mountain Base 6am: -10°, no new snow. Moiwa 800m: -17.5°, NNW7.4m/s, minor snowdrift development. Mikaeri 764m: -13°, light wind, trace new snow. Annupuri 1100m: -14.3°, WNW5.4m/s. Niseko Village 1000m: -11.8°, WNW5.5m/s. Hirafu Hanazono 1000m: -13.7°, SSE6.0m/s, no new snow. Hanazono 800m: -10.7°, WNW3.7m/s. Coastal data: Benkei Cape: NNE6m/s. Kamui Cape NW5m/s, 1028hPa, wave 0.7m.
Currently there is little atmospheric pressure gradient and the sea and mountains are calm. An intermittent North/ West 10m/s wind is blowing above 900m. The general avalanche risk is low and peak gates are expected to be open. Use your beacon. Moiwa Gate 10 will be closed. Too many people are getting overconfident and heading out of bounds, leading to frequent accidents. We know closing Gate 10 will limit the riding area for locals and experienced skiers, but please understand why this action was taken. Niseko respects freedoms to ride and allows out of bounds riding under certain conditions. However if the number of accidents keeps increasing due to ignorance we will have no choice but tighten regulations at other gates as well. To avoid this please understand and follow the rules. Be careful not to crash into trees, fall into a creek or get lost. There are many other dangers out there besides avalanches. The slopes are fantastic today. Remember - this sport can be dangerous, take care.
Niseko Now 2023-2024 season |
Data as of Saturday 24th February 2024 Total snowfall at base so far 802cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 77 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 62cm (8th January) November 2023 snowfall 120cm reported on 11 days December 2023 snowfall 247cm reported on 24 days January 2024 snowfall 298cm reported on 24 days February 2024 snowfall 137cm reported on 18 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.