Niseko Now: Tuesday 2nd February 2016
- Feb 2, 2016
- 3 min read
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 13cm
Snowfall at base this season 633cm
Posted on Tuesday 2nd February 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here
Good morning and it's an early report this morning as I need to get out early today*.
This morning there's another 13cm of fresh snowfall to report here at base so the overnight refills keep on coming - and it's still snowing.
A special hello to the guy with the red jacket and his friends who seem to be waiting at the Ace Number 2 quad lift from 7:45am - looks like he's keen to get in first tracks today, and I don't blame him!
Snow conditions should be quality out there this morning. Maybe limited visibility especially early on as it's snowing quite hard right now in places; probably going to ease off soon.
Just cloud and maybe some sunshine forecast for tomorrow before we get back into hopefully decent snow in the run up to the weekend.
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* Sadly not out onto the slopes!
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Niseko Avalanche Report:
Niseko base 6.00am: -10°C, 15cm new crystal snow, calm. Moiwa 800m: -12°C NW8m/s, 20cm new snow, no snowdrift development. Mikaeri 740m: -11.6°C, light winds, 20cm new snow. Annupuri 1150m: -13°C, W15m/s, 15cm new snow. Hirafu 1000m snowpack 205cm. Hirafu Peak Ridgeline: -14°C, W10m/s, 15cm new snow. Coastal data: Benkei Cape:NW13m/s. Kamui Cape W8m/s, 1014hPa, wave 0.8m.
Below 1100m there is light winds, no snow drift development, 15-20cm on new snow, no obvious weak or unstable snowdrifts and lower levels of the snow pack are stable and compacted. General avalanche risk is low. Be careful carrying too much speed and hitting a tree. Also take care of falling into creeks, if you rescue someone who has fallen in a creek and is completely wet, use rescue blanket, hot water in PET bottles under arms. If the victim keeps shivering uncontrollably, looses consciousness or is becoming seriously hypothermic it is a very dangerous situation. Avalanches are not the only danger in the winter mountains. People deliberately continuing to enter Haru no Taki will be banned from Niseko ski areas. If you don't care about your own safety, think about others who will have to come and rescue you if you have an accident. Today's snow is excellent.
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Official resort snow depths as of Tuesday 2nd February 2016:
Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono
Top - 330cm
Base - 140cm
Niseko Village
Top - 280cm
Base - 170cm
Niseko Annupuri
Top - 285cm
Base - 160cm
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Lifts planned to be open for night skiing:
Niseko Grand Hirafu:
Ace Family Pair lift, Ace Number 2 Center Four lift, Hirafu Gondola, Holiday Number 1 Pair lift
(There is no night skiing at the Hanazono area)
Niseko Village:
Community Chair and Banzai Chair
Niseko Annupuri:
Jumbo Number 1 Quad
Niseko Now 2015-2016 season |
Data as of Tuesday 2nd February 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 633cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 49 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 31cm (17th January) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 244cm reported on 17 days January 2016 snowfall 303cm reported on 26 days February 2016 snowfall 25cm reported on 2 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.