Niseko Now: Wednesday 25th January 2023
- Jan 25, 2023
- 4 min read
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 9cm
Snowfall at base this season 594cm
Posted on Wednesday 25th January 2023 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here
Gosh, it's very cold this morning. -14C! Niseko Village are reporting -24C at the top.
There is fresh snow since my report yesterday morning. Not a huge amount, but it's top quality and conditions should be excellent if you can move your body with all those layers on.
Visibility looks decent at the start of the day, but that might well be changeable. It is snowing lightly at the moment.
At 8:30am, the Annupuri gondola is on hold and so are all of top lifts due to windy conditions up there.
The coming days sees lots of continued cold, snow and possibly wind.
And I think that's about all I have for you this morning.
---------------
Niseko Avalanche Report
Mountain base -15C, 15cm snowfall, good visibility. Moiwa 800m: -18.0C, W12m/s, 15cm snowfall, snowdrift development. Annupuri 1100m: -21.3C, WNW10.5m/s. Mizuno no Sawa 1000m: -19.8C, NW5.5m/s. Hirafu Hanazono: -20.8C, NNE3.9m/s. Hanazono#3: -17.8C, N7.0m/s. Coastal data: Benkei cape NNW15m/s, Kamui cape N19m/s, 1001hPa, 3.6m waves.
The atmospheric pressure gradient steepened and seas are high. Snowdrift development at slopes over 1000m elevation in Niseko mountain range due to the strong north or north west wind. Though the snowfall is low, there are unstable 50cm thick snowdrift developments on leeward knolls. There is a packed marble-like snowdrift layer underneath today’s snowdrift, which can easily collapse with little stimulation. From the observation this morning, the avalanche risk is high on the leeward slopes over 800m elevation. The gates over 1000m are closed. Please listen to the patrol's advice. Going out of bounds from the resort is still technically prohibited by the Japanese Chair lift operations regulations. Do not duck ropes. Always use gates to go out of bounds. The weather will get worse. Beware of avalanches on the 40-degree slopes even in the woods as the blizzard intensifies. Currently NIED is conducting snowdrift observation in a temporary hut near the radio tower at Mikaeri bowl. Please cooperate. Beware of frostbites. Have a good day.
---------------
Ski area information for Wednesday 25th January 2023
The below snow depth and snowfall numbers are manually checked each morning from official sources.
Lift information is the planned operations for the day, weather permitting.
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: 20cm
- Base: 20cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 305cm (-5cm since yesterday)
- Base: 120cm (+10cm 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
- King Number 4
- Swinging Monkey
-------
Niseko HANAZONO Resort
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 7cm
- Base: 18cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 250cm (+10cm change since yesterday)
- Base: 205cm (+18cm change since yesterday)
Lifts:
- Hanazono Number 1
- Hanazono Number 2 quad
- Hanazono Number 3 quad
- Hanazono Symphony Gondola [* open until 7:00pm for night skiing]
-------
Niseko Annupuri Kokusai
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 0cm
- Base: 0cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 185cm (no change since yesterday)
- Base: 160cm (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 [* normally open on weekends and holidays]
- Jumbo Number 4 pair
-------
Niseko Village Ski Resort
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 170cm (no change since yesterday)
- Base: 160cm (+5cm change since yesterday)
Lifts:
- Niseko Gondola
- Upper Village Gondola
- Village Express
- Community Chair [* open until 7:00pm for night skiing]
- Banzai Chair [* open until 7:00pm for night skiing]
- Wonderland Chair
-------
Niseko Moiwa Ski Resort
Lifts:
- Number 1 pair lift
- Number 2 pair lift
- Quad lift
Niseko Now 2022-2023 season |
Data as of Wednesday 25th January 2023 Total snowfall at base so far 594cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 53 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 22cm (2nd and 16th January) November 2022 snowfall 17cm reported on 5 days December 2022 snowfall 336cm reported on 27 days January 2023 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.