Niseko Now: Saturday 29th March 2025
- Mar 29, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 13
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 1cm
Snowfall at base this season 774cm
Good morning from Niseko.
I can just about justify another 1cm in this report. Hirafu is reporting up to 5cm (though it should be noted that they do seem to think in units of 5cm, rather than in units of 1cm). But the handful of cm on the mountain is nice to see, albeit far from being a proper reset, of course. There might be some more tomorrow.
A mix of cloud, blue sky and sun in places as I prepare this report.
There is a wind, too, with all but the base lift at Annupuri on hold. Other lifts all appear to be scheduled to open as normal.
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Niseko Avalanche Report
Mountain base: -1℃, light snowfall and frozen. Moiwa 800m: -4.8℃, WNW8.1m/s (20m/s@3am), slight snowfall but cornices have developed with the wind. Annupuri 1100m: -8℃, WNW9.5m/s. Hirafu Hanazono 1000m: -8.2℃, E3.5m/s, snow surface frozen and firm. Coastal data: Benkei cape NW16m/s, Kamui cape SW14m/s, 1010hPa, 1.7m waves.
The atmospheric pressure gradient is steep with the Low on the Okhotsk Sea and a 15+m/s westerly wind is blowing over the Japan Sea and the Niseko mountain range. Snowfall is minimal, but thin and fragile cornices have formed with drifting snow in 800m elevation slopes of the eastern side of the mountain. The wind is forecasted to calm down before noon. Peak gates opening will be delayed. Please follow the patrollers’ instructions. An avalanche caused by a falling cornice occurred on 19th January 1990 and 5 Niseko Jr-highschool students were caught in but eventually rescued. Even when the snowfall amount is small, the wind can carry the snow and make large cornices grow. Beware of newly formed cornices as they’re very fragile and can collapse anytime. And as always, beware of hitting trees and avoid riding the valley bottoms. Glide avalanches can happen on cold days too. Don’t duck ropes! People will mimic and eventually, an unlucky person will pay the price. The mountain is firm on and off piste. Ski carefully and have a nice day.
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Individual ski area information for Saturday 29th March 2025
The below snow depth and snowfall numbers are manually checked each morning from official sources.
Niseko HANAZONO Resort
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 1cm
Base: 2cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 270cm (-3cm change since yesterday)
Base: 168cm (-2cm change since yesterday)
Current operations (scheduled as per official site; subject to change):
All 4 lifts are open
Planned closing date:
Sunday 13th April 2025 (extended from original planned closing of 6th April)
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Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 5cm
Base: 5cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 335cm (+5cm change since yesterday)
Base: 85cm (-5cm change since yesterday)
Current operations (scheduled as per official site; subject to change):
7 lifts operating
Ace Number 3 pair lift and Ace Number 4 pair lift are closed
Planned closing date:
Monday 31st March 2025
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Niseko Village Ski Resort
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 220cm (no change since yesterday)
Base: 120cm (no change since yesterday)
Current operations (scheduled as per official site; subject to change):
6 lifts operating
Morino Chair lift is closed
Planned closing date:
Sunday 6th April 2025
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Niseko Annupuri Kokusai
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 270cm (no change since yesterday)
Base: 100cm (no change since yesterday)
Current operations (scheduled as per official site; subject to change):
4 lifts operating
Jumbo Number 2 pair lift and Jumbo Number 3 pair lift are closed
Planned closing date:
Tuesday 6th May 2025
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Niseko Moiwa Ski Resort
Current operations (scheduled as per official site; subject to change):
2 lifts operating
Quad lift is closed
Planned closing date:
Sunday 6th April 2025
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Night skiing
Floodlit 'night' skiing finished for the 2024-2025 season on Sunday 23rd March
Niseko Now 2024-2025 season |
Data as of Saturday 29th March 2025 Total snowfall at base so far 774cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 93 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 24cm (6th February) November 2024 snowfall 38cm reported on 8 days December 2024 snowfall 311cm reported on 28 days January 2025 snowfall 161cm reported on 19 days February 2025 snowfall 196cm reported on 24 days March 2025 snowfall 68cm reported on 14 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.