Niseko Now: Saturday 26th December 2015
- Dec 26, 2015
- 4 min read
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 24cm
Snowfall at base this season 212cm
Posted on Saturday 26th December 2015 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here
Thank you Santa!
I have a very respectable 24cm of fresh snowfall at base to report this morning. My friend at the resort is reporting over 35cm up there higher up on the mountain.
It was snowing through the day yesterday and at times in a particularly Niseko-like fashion. That's what we like! It feels like winter has started for proper.
OK, so with this fresh snowfall there's new lift and course action as well.
Top lifts are now open, as are top ski-able (and indeed snowboard-able) connections. But the resorts are advising only for 'advanced skiers' due to trees and things still sticking up from the snow which is still less than what we expect peak season. Hopefully not for long.
Niseko Grand Hirafu have added their King Number 4, King Number 1 pair and Ace Number 1 pair lifts to 'operating' status. Niseko Village plan to have their top Wonderland Chair operating this morning; Niseko Annupuri have their top Jumbo Number 4 lift due to be operating. I see that at the time of writing this the Niseko Gondola is running at a slow speed, probably due to wind conditions. Let's hope they don't affect things too much today.
There's lots more snow lined up today (it's still snowing) and right through until the middle of next week.
This is more like it and long may it continue.
Have a blast out there today and take care.
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Niseko Avalanche Report:
Niseko base 6am: -7℃, snowing, 20cm of light crushed crystal snow in 12hours. Moiwa Mikaeri 800m: -8℃, W10m/s, notable development of snowdrifts. Annupuri 1000m: -13℃, W15-20m/s, large development of snowdrifts. Coastal data: Benkei cape WNW16m/s, Kamui cape WNW14m/s, 1008hPa, 2.5. waves.
Snowdrifts are developing with the persistent 15m/s westerly wind. These snowdrifts have drastically built up to 100cm thickness in some leeward slopes around 1000m. The wind may calm down in the afternoon and the snowdrift development may also slow down, however 60cm class surface slabs slides will be highly likely to occur in 40 grade slopes. Even the smallest avalanches can be powerful enough to burry a person to asphyxiation. Although the snowdrifts may be good snow to ski on, it is wiser to stay away from steep slopes in tight gullies and/or under chairlift lines for now.
Beware also of freshly buried obstacles lurking just beneath the surface.
The snow in the out of bonds area is still insufficient and gates’ opening is still to be confirmed. Please refrain from stepping out until the gates open. NEVER enter strictly off limits areas and NEVER duck any ropes. You are risking your lift ticket and maybe your season. Please respect the Niseko Rules.
Winter has finally come.
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Planned resort operations (subject to change due to weather conditions during the day)
The lifts market with an asterix (*) below are planned to be open for night skiing
Niseko Grand Hirafu
Lifts planned to be running:
- Ace Family pair*
- Ace Number 1 pair
- Ace Number 2 Quad Center Four* (for transport)
- Ace Number 3 pair
- Hirafu Gondola*
- King Number 1 pair
- King Number 3 triple
- King Number 4
- Holiday Number 1 pair*
- Swinging Monkey
Courses planned to be open:
- Family
- Beginners access
- Center
- Shirakaba
- Green
- Kokutai
- Ni-kabe
- Alpen
- Sennoki
- Kogen
- Boyo
- Rinkan
- Jumbo
- Dynamic
Niseko HANAZONO Resort
Lifts planned to be running:
- Hanazono Number 1 quad
- Hanazono Number 2 quad
- Hanazono Number 3 quad
Courses planned to be open:
- Connecting
- Parallel
- Silver Dream
- Stairway to Heaven
- Setsuzoku course
- Crystal Garden
- Yotei Sunset (ungroomed)
Niseko Village
Lifts planned to be operating:
- Niseko Gondola
- Community Chair*
- Banzai Chair*
- Morino Chair
- Wonderland Chair
Niseko Annupuri
Lifts planned to be operating:
- Annupuri Gondola
- Jumbo Number 1 quad*
- Jumbo Number 2 pair
- Jumbo Number 3 pair
- Jumbo Number 4 pair
Courses planned to be open:
- Utopia
- Shirakaba
- Paradise
- Junior
- Family
- Dynamic
- Silver
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Official resort snow depths as of Saturday 26th December 2015:
Grand Hirafu / Hanazono:
Top - 220cm
Base - 80cm
Niseko Village:
Top - 140cm
Base - 80cm
Niseko Annupuri:
Top - 90cm
Base - 70cm
Niseko Now 2015-2016 season |
Data as of Saturday 26th December 2015 Total snowfall at base so far 212cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 16 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 24cm (26th December) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 151cm reported on 12 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.