Niseko Now: Wednesday 26th January 2022
- Jan 26, 2022
- 4 min read
Updated: Dec 7, 2025
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 4cm
Snowfall at base this season 644cm
Posted on Wednesday 26th January 2022 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here
We have light snow falling this morning and I have 4cm to report to you since. It's relatively mild this morning. Hopefully over the next few days there will be more numbers to report and it does look set to get colder over the weekend.
The Hanazono gondola is at a standstill as of 8:30am, not sure what's going on there. Perhaps they are waiting for someone to turn up! (Ba Dum Tsh. Got to try and keep jolly). The cabins are on the cables so hopefully it will start moving soon.
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You might have noticed that Japan is experiencing a large increase in covid (omicron) cases at the moment. Yesterday case numbers, the only number that the media is totally fixated on, for the country rose to over 60,000 (1536 of those in Hokkaido). There are no strict restrictions in place right now, but from tomorrow, Hokkaido enters one of those 'quasi state of emergency' thingies. If you can find someone who knows exactly what it is, please tell me (and everyone else). But on a more serious note, it seems that it will mostly be affecting restaurants and bars who are once again being asked to shorten business hours. That provisionally runs through 20th February. By that time hopefully this latest wave will be over. Sigh.
Stay safe everyone!
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Niseko Avalanche Report
Moiwa base: -3℃, 5cm snowfall with no wind affected crystal snow, calm. Moiwa 800m: -7℃, light snowdrifts, good visibility, calm. Annupuri 1150m: -8℃, slightly strong west wind, 5cm snowfall, light development on snowdrifts. Hirafu peak ridge: slightly strong west wind, light snowfall, good visibility. Coastal data Benkei cape: SSE 2m/s, Kamui cape: SSE 2m/s, 1018hPa, 0.6m waves.
The atmospheric pressure gradient is flat and the mountain/ocean weather is calm. Slightly strong westerly winds and cold air is flowing in at higher elevation, forming weak snow clouds. According to observations and weather data evaluation, the general avalanche risk is low. All gates will be open early morning. Mountain weather in Niseko and other areas along the Japan Sea coast are greatly affected by the sea. When the atmospheric pressure gradient tightens due to a winter-type pressure pattern or a low pressure system passes, thunderclouds and snow clouds will develop and blizzards will intensify. Mountaineering accidents tend to occur in bad weather conditions such as blizzards. All past avalanche accidents in Niseko area occurred during or immediately after a snowstorm. It may seem calm in the forest, but we should always consider unstable cornices and snowdrifts may be developing in the higher elevation. We need to do our best to use our wisdom to assess the situation. There is no guarantee of safety in this sport. Anyway, the snow remains good. Have a good day. Isobars do not lie.
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Planned ski area operations: Wednesday 26th January 2022
The below snow depth and snowfall data is manually checked each morning from official sources.
Lift information is the planned operations for the day (nature might intervene).
Niseko Grand Hirafu
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 340cm (+5cm)
- Base: 165cm (no change)
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 5cm
- Base: 5cm
Planned lift operations (subject to weather conditions):
- Ace Family quad
- Ace Number 2 Center Four quad [* open for night skiing until 7:00pm]
- Hirafu Gondola
- King Number 3 quad
- King Number 4
- Swinging Monkey
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Niseko HANAZONO Resort
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 275cm (-5cm)
- Base: 205cm (no change)
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 10cm
- Base: 5cm
Planned lift operations (subject to weather conditions):
- Hanazono Number 1
- Hanazono Number 2 quad
- Hanazono Number 3 quad
- Hanazono Symphony Gondola [* open for night skiing until 7:00pm]
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Niseko Annupuri
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 250cm (no change)
- Base: 185cm (no change)
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 2cm
- Base: 2cm
Planned lift operations (subject to weather conditions):
- Annupuri Gondola
- Dream Number 1 quad
- Jumbo Number 1 quad [* open for night skiing until 7:30pm]
- Jumbo Number 2 pair
- Jumbo Number 4 pair
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Niseko Village
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 250cm no change
- Base: 180cm no change
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 0cm
- Base: 0cm
Planned lift operations (subject to weather conditions):
- Niseko Gondola
- Village Express
- Community Chair [* open for night skiing until 7:00pm]
- Banzai Chair
- Wonderland Chair
Niseko Now 2021-2022 season |
Data as of Wednesday 26th January 2022 Total snowfall at base so far 644cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 54 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 40cm (23rd December) November 2021 snowfall 85cm reported on 6 days December 2021 snowfall 307cm reported on 23 days January 2022 snowfall 252cm reported on 25 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.