Niseko Now: Sunday 25th December 2022
- Dec 25, 2022
- 4 min read
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 8cm
Snowfall at base this season 293cm
Posted on Sunday 25th December 2022 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here
Merry Christmas!
Some more snow for Christmas morning. Just under 10cm of it here at base though it sounds like there is more higher up.
It is a little colder, but it still feels relatively mild at the moment. It feels less windy too, though wind may still be an issue. At the start of the day, lifts seem to be opening as planned.
I hear the (G11) Mizu no sawa area is opening from today at Niseko Village.
A few more lifts are working this morning too, including the Jumbo Number 3 pair at Annupuri and the Ace Number 3 and Swinging Monkey at Hirafu.
The Super and Furiko courses at Hirafu will be closed today (or 'from today') due to a 'confirmed avalanche hazard'. The ski area is saying that those areas are dangerous and should not be entered.
We have a special guest in Niseko today. Santa will be shredding the Niseko slopes today, no doubt in the most gnarliest of fashion. In previous years, I have seen him both skiing and snowboarding, and often he takes time to give out chocolates to kids... both young and old ones! I'm not sure of the timing, but I think he checks out each of the ski areas during the day. Clearly, he can't be in more than one place at any one time!!
Anyway, enough silliness. I hope you have a fine day.
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Niseko Avalanche Report
Mountain base: -1℃, 10cm snow over last 12hrs, 40cm wet wind effected snow in 24hrs. Moiwa 800m: -3℃, 30cm snowfall, damp, wind rippled snowdrift development, good visibility. Annupuri 1000m: -5℃, 30cm snowfall, snowdrift development. Hirafu Hanazono 1000m: -6.7℃, NNE12.5m/s, snowdrift development. Coastal data: Benkei cape NNE16m/s, Kamui cape NE5m/s, 1002hPa, 3.3m waves.
Warm air from the south continues to flow in. A NE wind and wet snow on the mountain. Above 800m significant continued snowdrift development from the easterly wind. From data, tests and observation the avalanche risk is high on cornice and snowdrift slopes above 800m. Although avalanches wont run very far, the debris will be heavy, hard and very difficult to extract you from. Beacons, shovels and probes are highly recommended. There was an avalanche with 1m facture face on Hirafu Super Course yesterday. Please be careful today. Below the 800m tree line, the forests have caught piles of wet wind effected snow. Watch for falling branches. Conditions will improve after the storm passes. Be safe out there.
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Ski area information for Sunday 25th December 2022
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.
Official snow depth numbers in brackets show the change since previous report.
Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 0cm
- Base: 0cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 220cm (+25cm since yesterday)
- Base: 80cm (no change since yesterday)
Lifts:
- Ace Family quad [* open until for 7:00pm for night skiing]
- Ace Number 2 quad (Center Four) [* open until for 7:00pm for night skiing]
- Ace Number 3 pair
- Hirafu Gondola
- Holiday Number 1 pair
- King Number 3 quad
- Swinging Monkey
Courses:
- All courses are now open except Large, Miharashi and Dynamic
- Super and Furiko are temporarily closed due to avalanche hazard
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Niseko HANAZONO Resort
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 10cm
- Base: 17cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 156cm (+15cm since yesterday)
- Base: 124cm (+34cm since yesterday)
Lifts:
- Hanazono Number 1
- Hanazono Number 2 quad
- Hanazono Number 3 quad
- Hanazono Symphony Gondola [* open until 7:00pm for night skiing]
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Niseko Annupuri Kokusai
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 10cm
- Base: 5cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 130cm (no change since yesterday)
- Base: 100cm (no change since yesterday)
Lifts:
- Annupuri Gondola
- Dream Number 1 quad
- Jumbo Number 1 quad [* open until 7:30pm for night skiing]
- Jumbo Number 2 pair
- Jumbo Number 3 pair
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Niseko Village Ski Resort
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 0cm
- Base: 0cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 95cm (no change since yesterday)
- Base: 90cm (no change since yesterday)
Lifts:
- Niseko Gondola
- Village Express
- Community Chair [* open until 7:00pm for night skiing]
- Banzai Chair [* open until 7:00pm for night skiing]
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Niseko Moiwa Ski Resort
Lifts:
- Number 1 pair lift
- Number 2 pair lift
- Quad lift
Niseko Now 2022-2023 season |
Data as of Sunday 25th December 2022 Total snowfall at base so far 293cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 28 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 21cm (17th December) November 2022 snowfall 17cm reported on 5 days December 2022 snowfall 276cm reported on 23 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.