Niseko Now: Thursday 26th December 2019
- Dec 26, 2019
- 3 min read
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 13cm
Snowfall at base this season 269cm
Posted on Thursday 26th December 2019 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here
Another delivery of snowfall at base this morning. The numbers I am able to report are getting a bit larger too - I have measured 13cm of very fine quality looking snowfall to add this morning.
Let me check: that means that I have now observed 184cm of snowfall so far this month with 5 more reports to go in the month. Blimey/crikey/gosh/flippin'ek, I can hardly believe that we are fast approaching the end of the year. SLOW DOWN PLEASE!
Anyway, with probably 20cm or so of quality fresh snow at higher elevations I would expect some nice conditions will be available to us all this morning. Let's enjoying.
Top lifts and gates yet to open.
Light snowfall is due at times over the coming few days, with some perhaps milder conditions Sunday/Monday. After that, an exciting looking delivery of snow is due from New Years Eve onwards. If that all happens, then it should be a very good start to the year, and lets hope that January will put December to shame!
Have fun everyone and take care out there.
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Niseko Avalanche Report
Mountain base 6am: -7℃, 15cm snowfall in 12h. Moiwa800m: ESE1.19m/s, -8.3℃, Anupuri 1000m: 95cm snow depth. Hirafu 1000m: -10.4℃. Hanazono 3 chair (alt. 720m): E0.3m/s, -8.5℃. Coastal data: Benkei cape NNE6m/s, Kamui cape N3m/s, 1019hPa, 0.8m waves.
The atmospheric pressure gradient is flat and the mountain weather is calm. The mountain is covered by 15-20cm fresh snow. Looking at the weather data and transition, the avalanche risk is low today.
The morning grooming condition is fantastic again today. Beware of poor visibility and hitting trees. Wearing a helmet is recommended.
Gates are not yet open due to lack of snow. Please respect the Niseko Rules and refrain from stepping out of bounds.
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Niseko Grand Hirafu
Official snow depth (reported by resort):
- Peak: 180cm
- Base: 80cm
Ski lifts operating:
- Ace Family quad (until 8:30pm)
- Ace Number 2 Center quad (until 8:20pm)
- Ace Number 3 pair
- Hirafu Gondola (until 8:10pm)
- Holiday Number 1 pair (until 8:30pm)
- King Number 1 pair
- King Number 3 quad
- Swinging Monkey
All courses now open EXCEPT the following:
- Onsenzawa
- Large
- Konayuki
- Miharashi
- Dynamic
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Niseko HANAZONO Resort
Official snow depth (reported by resort):
- Peak: 130cm
- Base: 80cm
Ski lifts operating:
- Hanazono Number 1 quad
- Hanazono Number 2 quad
- Hanazono Number 3 quad
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Niseko Annupuri
Official snow depth (reported by resort):
- Peak: 100cm
- Base: 70cm
Ski lifts operating:
- Annupuri Gondola
- Dream Number 1 quad
- Jumbo Number 1 quad (until 8:30pm)
- Jumbo Number 2 pair
- Jumbo Number 3 pair
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Niseko Village
Official snow depth (reported by resort):
- Peak: 100cm
- Base: 70cm
Ski lifts operating:
- Niseko Gondola
- Upper Village Gondola (until 8:00pm)
- Village Express (until 8:00pm)
- Community Chair
- Banzai Chair (until 8:00pm)
- Morino Chair
Niseko Now 2019-2020 season |
Data as of Thursday 26th December 2019 Total snowfall at base so far 269cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 28 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 21cm (6th December) November 2019 snowfall 85cm reported on 10 days December 2019 snowfall 184cm 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.