Niseko Now: Tuesday 2nd January 2024
- Jan 2, 2024
- 8 min read
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 2cm
Snowfall at base this season 385cm
Posted on Tuesday 2nd January 2024 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here
Good morning from Niseko.
A part of the 2cm I am reporting this morning has come down early morning as there wasn't much overnight when I got up and it is snowing rather nicely as I write this and it doesn't seem windy. May it continue.
My thoughts are with the people who were affected by the earthquake in Ishikawa yesterday afternoon. We didn't feel it up here in Hokkaido.
Here's some words I prepared yesterday.
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A look back at the season so far: until end of December 2023
It turns out that, naughty me, I didn’t do one of my analysis thingies at the beginning of December, so I’m going to talk about that a bit here. For those unfamiliar with all this, the numbers I am introducing below are all the snowfall measurements I observed near the base of Hirafu. The numbers are all comparable because they have come from the same spot every day over the last 12 seasons.
OK, so November was actually pretty good!
This is how much snowfall I have measured during November since 2012.
November 2023: 120cm
November 2022: 17cm
November 2021: 85cm
November 2020: 62cm
November 2019: 85cm
November 2018: 84cm
November 2017: 188cm
November 2016: 110cm
November 2015: 61cm
November 2014: 30cm
November 2013: 123cm
November 2012: 118cm
The first snowfall in my reports was on 5th November.
November 2023 clearly handily beat the previous 5 seasons in terms of snowfall at base, though couldn’t challenge the impressive 188cm we got in 2017. Still, it was a very good showing and an encouraging start to the season. Excite!
Here’s the numbers for December 2023:
December 2023: 247cm
December 2022: 336cm
December 2021: 307cm
December 2020: 348cm
December 2019: 207cm
December 2018: 333cm
December 2017: 406cm
December 2016: 181cm
December 2015: 244cm
December 2014: 519cm
December 2013: 275cm
December 2012: 418cm
So, once we got into December, things slowed down. Beyond the first day of the month, we didn’t get much until around the 17th-18th of December.
Beyond that, the snowfall was, thankfully, fairly consistent until the end of the year. The most snowfall in one day was 31cm on 18th December, and by the end of the year, I had been able to post at least some snowfall on a total of 34 days.
Next up are the totals for the season so far. The following is how much snowfall I have observed up until the end of December:
2023/2024 season up to end of December 2023: 367cm
2022/2023 season up to end of December 2022: 353cm
2021/2022 season up to end of December 2021: 392cm
2020/2021 season up to end of December 2020: 410cm
2019/2020 season up to end of December 2019: 292cm
2018/2019 season up to end of December 2018: 417cm
2017/2018 season up to end of December 2017: 594cm
2016/2017 season up to end of December 2016: 291cm
2015/2016 season up to end of December 2015: 305cm
2014/2015 season up to end of December 2014: 549cm
2013/2014 season up to end of December 2013: 398cm
2012/2013 season up to end of December 2012: 536cm
As a total so far, very close to the last few seasons and a bit under the average (408cm).
Here is how much of the total snowfall for the whole season we have already had fallen on us by the end of December in previous seasons, just to perhaps give us an idea of what to expect:
By the end of December 2022, as a % of the season total: about 35%
By the end of December 2021, as a % of the season total: about 34%
By the end of December 2020, as a % of the season total: about 34%
By the end of December 2019, as a % of the season total: about 40%
By the end of December 2018, as a % of the season total: about 44%
By the end of December 2017, as a % of the season total: about 47%
By the end of December 2016, as a % of the season total: about 43%
By the end of December 2015, as a % of the season total: about 31%
By the end of December 2014, as a % of the season total: about 48%
By the end of December 2013, as a % of the season total: about 34%
By the end of December 2012, as a % of the season total: about 36%
That looks very consistent with the last few years.
And looking forward to what we might expect in January, here’s how much snowfall I have recorded during previous seasons in that month. (The numbers in brackets show the total observed snowfall in each season until the end of January.)
January 2023: 332cm (685cm)
January 2022: 325cm (717cm)
January 2021: 387cm (797cm)
January 2020: 224cm (516cm)
January 2019: 285cm (702cm)
January 2018: 305cm (899cm)
January 2017: 152cm (443cm)
January 2016: 303cm (608cm)
January 2015: 257cm (806cm)
January 2014: 461cm (859cm)
January 2013: 443cm (979cm)
All of this data (and much, much more!!! buy now!!!) is available on the Snowfall Analysis and Seasonal archive pages of this report. See the tabs at the top of the report.
Some thoughts
Last year was the first winter season since the Japanese government eased restrictions on inbound tourism after covid. That announcement was too late for some people to arrange a visit, but many did! I am sure the local economy was/is very thankful to see a return of all those visitors.
With no restrictions on international travel and some very excite exchange rates for many visitors, there seems to have been a mad rush to get to Japan this year. (And not just for skiing and snowboarding). I can understand why as someone who loves Japan and knows how wonderful it is. However, that means popular places are busy. (But you know that, right?)
For some, a popular and busy place is worth it for the lure of Niseko powder. So, let’s hope Nature delivers on that score throughout the season.
Many of you might remember how various businesses had staffing problems last season. While I don’t know exactly how that is panning out this season (as I am not involved in any ‘business’, thank the toast gods!), staffing and labour shortage issues remain Japan-wide. I have heard of some relatively high wages being paid here in Niseko, so hopefully, it is less of an issue than last year. I’ll probably hear more about that as the peak season approaches and everywhere gets extremely busy. I said this last year, but with the very handsome prices being asked, it is not unreasonable for visitors to expect a premium service all around.
I don't know if staffing issues are the reason, but I have been disappointed with what I feel are inconsistent daily updates to the official Niseko United website so far this year. On some days, I genuinely don't know how to present numbers that I sense haven't been updated (even if the timestamp has). So much so that I question whether to include such information in my reports. Presumably, the ski areas themselves are making such updates, so I would hope they might give this kind of thing more importance.
Anyway, here’s to a snowy and powdery January!
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Niseko Avalanche Report
Mountain base 6am: -6℃, no snowfall, calm and good visibility. Moiwa 800m: -7.7℃, SW2.7m/s, no snowdrifts, good visibility. Mikaeri 764m: -12℃, calm, good visibility and light dusting of new snow. Hirafu Hanazono 1000m: -6.8℃, SSW9.6m/s (max 20m/s at 4am). Hanazono#3: -5.7℃, SSE3.2m/s. Coastal data: Benkei cape WSW7m/s, Kamui cape W25m/s, 1014hPa, 1.3m waves.
Snowdrifts generated by wind-blown snow are accumulating rapidly in south facing slopes due to strong SW winds. These new slabs of snow are extremely unstable and the avalanche risk is very high. Do not consider riding high elevation slopes such as the Backbowl today. An avalanche accident occurred in Mt Yotei yesterday. This was caused by the previous strong NE storm, but many accidents have also occurred in Mt Yotei after SW storms. Consider any slopes to be dangerous when strong winds create snow-smoke. There is a firm wind-affected layer of snow under the fluffy new snow in the tree-runs. Please be careful. Moiwa gate#8 is not open yet due to lack of snow. A guide had his lift-pass confiscated in gully#3 of Higashi-One. Please respect the Niseko Rules. You might lose your job. This Rule was born out of necessity and is not here just to restrict the freedom to ski. Have a nice day.
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Individual ski area information for Tuesday 2nd January 2024
The below snow depth and snowfall numbers are manually checked each morning from official sources.
Lift information is the planned operations for the day at the time of writing and subject to change.
Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 0cm
- Base: 0cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 200cm (-10cm since yesterday)
- Base: 75cm (-10cm since yesterday)
Lifts:
- Ace Family quad (until 7:00pm)
- Ace Number 2 quad (Center Four) (until 7:00pm)
- Ace Number 3 pair
- Hirafu Gondola (until 7:00pm)
- Holiday Number 1 pair (until 7:00pm)
- King Number 3 quad
- King Number 4
- Swinging Monkey
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Niseko HANAZONO Resort
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 0cm
- Base: 2cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 150cm (-5cm since yesterday)
- Base: 110cm (-5cm since yesterday)
Lifts:
- Hanazono Number 1
- Hanazono Number 2 quad
- Hanazono Number 3 quad
- Hanazono Symphony Gondola (until 7:00pm)
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Niseko Annupuri Kokusai
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 140cm (no change since yesterday)
- Base: 110cm (no change since yesterday)
Lifts:
- Annupuri Gondola
- Dream Number 1 quad
- Jumbo Number 1 quad (until 7:30pm)
- Jumbo Number 2 pair
- Jumbo Number 3 pair
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Niseko Village Ski Resort
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 132cm
- Base: 95cm
Lifts:
- Niseko Gondola
- Upper Village Gondola (until 7:00pm)
- Village Express (until 7:00pm)
- Community Chair
- Banzai Chair (until 7:00pm)
- Morino Chair
- Wonderland Chair
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Niseko Moiwa Ski Resort
Lifts:
- Number 1 pair
- Number 2 pair
- Quad
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Floodlit night skiing is planned daily until Wednesday 20th March 2024.
Night skiing is usually until 7:00pm at Hirafu, Hanazono, Village and until 7:30pm at Annupuri.
Niseko Now 2023-2024 season |
Data as of Tuesday 2nd January 2024 Total snowfall at base so far 385cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 37 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 31cm (18th December) November 2023 snowfall 120cm reported on 11 days December 2023 snowfall 247cm reported on 24 days January 2024 snowfall 18cm 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.