Niseko Now: Tuesday 2nd March 2021
- Mar 2, 2021
- 8 min read
Updated: Dec 6, 2025
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 19cm
Snowfall at base this season 1141cm
Posted on Tuesday 2nd March 2021 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here
Snow, wind, low visibility... it's one of those mornings, with all top lifts as well as the Niseko Village gondola are on hold.
Clearer skies are possible tomorrow and Thursday, hopefully without the wind too. And a bit more snow today.
Anyway, I wrote this.
-----
The 2020-2021 Niseko season so far: until the end February 2021
As it is now the beginning of March, it's once again time for me to look back at the numbers so far and see how we are doing compared with previous seasons.
The usual up front stuff:
I take my measurements from near the base of Niseko Grand Hirafu. There is usually more snow at higher elevations, but it is impossible for me to take measurements from the top of the mountain every morning for all sorts of practical reasons. My observed snowfall numbers on these Niseko Now reports over the years can be compared like-for-like, because they are my own observations and are coming from the same place each season.
OK so here goes...
This is how much snowfall I have measured during the month of February over the last nine years:
February 2021: 325cm
February 2020: 143cm
February 2019: 198cm
February 2018: 299cm
February 2017: 160cm
February 2016: 266cm
February 2015: 196cm
February 2014: 178cm
February 2013: 316cm
Very nice!
The SnowJapan Niseko Now daily reports go back further than that (to a time when toast was not mentioned) but this is the most observed snowfall at base in any February since the current format was implemented in 2013.
And more than double last February.
There were just a handful of days when I wasn’t able to report any cm of snowfall and a further bunch of days when it was just a ‘dusting+’.
Here’s the total snowfall from the start of the season through the end of February:
2020/2021 season up to end of February 2021: 1122cm
2019/2020 season up to end of February 2020: 659cm
2018/2019 season up to end of February 2019: 900cm
2017/2018 season up to end of February 2018: 1198cm
2016/2017 season up to end of February 2017: 605cm
2015/2016 season up to end of February 2016: 877cm
2014/2015 season up to end of February 2015: 1002cm
2013/2014 season up to end of February 2014: 1037cm
2012/2013 season up to end of February 2013: 1295cm
1122cm is also on the upper scale of what we have experienced over the last nine seasons. 2017-2018 just beat it by a bit and 2012-2013 by some more.
These are very good numbers. If you go with the usual ‘there’s often about 1.5 times the amount of snow on the upper areas of the mountain’ thinking, it’s easy to imagine that there will have been 16m or more snowfall up there.
With such good snow and conditions, in a normal year there would be a real celebratory atmosphere and everywhere would be buzzing. This season being what it is, though, it doesn’t feel like that.
Yes, of course, people who have been able to visit have been able to enjoy some excellent conditions and enjoy an unusually quiet Niseko. For some it has almost felt like an experiment in time-travel to a time before Niseko got properly noticed.
The sad fact remains that lots of you could not get here and so could only look on from afar. You folks clearly don't need anyone to remind you of that. But perhaps seeing Niseko and Japan in general enjoy a season of good snowfall will get everyone all the more excited for their next visit. I predict a rush back once people are able to.
With the foreign market being a bit chunk of business for many in Niseko - probably more than any other ski area in Japan - it has undoubtedly been a difficult season and people are already genuinely wondering how next winter might possibly shape up.
Obviously with much out of our control we can only do what we can do and hope that the situation is much brighter later this year and in the run up to 2021-2022.
Anyway, going back to the numbers for this year.
This is how much snowfall I have recorded during the month of March in the last eight winter seasons.
March 2020: 59cm
March 2019: 45cm
March 2018: 49cm
March 2017: 83cm
March 2016: 109cm
March 2015: 139cm
March 2014: 113cm
March 2013: 164cm
You can clearly see than in recent years there has been a rather disappointing trend of us getting less snowfall during the month of March.
This is by no means dismissing that clear year-on-year trend (those observed numbers can be directly compared), but it is important to remember that especially during the later part of a season there will be days when it snows on the mountain but there’s no fresh cm of snow for me to report from base. So in late season there's an increased chance that part of the story is not covered by base numbers. Always good to keep that in mind.
And just as an additional number, this is how much of the total snowfall for a season we have already had by the end of February:
By the end of February 2020, as a % of the season total: about 91%
By the end of February 2019, as a % of the season total: about 95%
By the end of February 2018, as a % of the season total: about 95%
By the end of February 2017, as a % of the season total: about 88%
By the end of February 2016, as a % of the season total: about 88%
By the end of February 2015, as a % of the season total: about 88%
By the end of February 2014, as a % of the season total: about 89%
By the end of February 2013, as a % of the season total: about 87%
The snowfall numbers that the Japan Meteorological Agency report from their observation station in Kutchan town are as follows.
February 2021: 247cm
February 2020: 158cm
February 2019: 141cm
February 2018: 202cm
February 2017: 173cm
February 2016: 210cm
February 2015: 167cm
February 2014: 130cm
February 2013: 228cm
2020/2021 season up to end of February 2021: 860cm
2019/2020 season up to end of February 2020: 609cm
2018/2019 season up to end of February 2019: 808cm
2017/2018 season up to end of February 2018: 954cm
2016/2017 season up to end of February 2017: 741cm
2015/2016 season up to end of February 2016: 698cm
2014/2015 season up to end of February 2015: 825cm
2013/2014 season up to end of February 2014: 804cm
2012/2013 season up to end of February 2013: 900cm
I think a general summary of the season so far would probably go something like this:
Great year for snow, but wish you were here.
PS The season ain’t over yet. I plan to be with you until the ski lifts close for the season. If they continue as planned, that’ll be early May.
-----
Niseko Avalanche Report
Coastal Data 6:25am. Cape Benkei:E10m/s. Cape Kamui: ENE42m/s, 1011hPa, wave 1.9m. Hanazono 1000m: -5.0℃, NNW7.8m/s. Hanazono 720: -6.5℃, NNW3.9m/s. Moiwa 800m: -6.0℃, NNE10.0m/s. Annupuri 1100m:-3.4℃, NNE9.9m/s. Yu no Sawa 1100m: -3.9℃, NNE4.3m/s. Mizuno no Sawa Top: -6.8℃, NNE8.6m/s. Kutchan Town: -2.8℃, NW1.7m/s, 17cm snow in last 24hrs, snow depth 204cm. Moiwa Base 300m: -4.0℃, 25cm new snow in last 24hrs, light wind, snow, poor visibility.
At the mountain base 15-20cm of low pressure snow has fallen on the 1st March layer, above 700m a NE15m/s wind and accumulations of wind blown snow. From tests at 800m new snowdrifts will fracture at 45cm depth. Snow at the mountain base is typical low pressure crystal snowfall, reflective and light. This snowfall higher up above 800m is under the new wind slab and expected to remain as a significant weak layer. On Osawa 1100m and Kozan no Sawa sidewall cornice face a wind slab or crust is expected to develop from a strong NE wind. Carelessly stimulating these slabs(snowdrifts) could impact through the slab causing an avalanche. These areas should not be ridden until the wind drops below 10m/s and given time to consolidate and stabilise. Gate openings yet to be decided. Please listen to the patrol’s advice. Expect the avalanche risk to rapidly increase from noon. The snow is good and light in the trees, but be careful when visibility is poor. Beware hitting trees or falling into a creek. The water is cold. Moiwa Gate 6 will be closed from tomorrow due to lift operations suspended.
-----
Planned ski area operations: Tuesday 2nd March 2021
The below information is manually checked each morning from official sources.
The numbers in brackets show the change in the official snow depth numbers since the previous report.
Niseko Grand Hirafu
24 hours new snowfall (as reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 15cm
- Base: 15cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 470cm (+5cm)
- Base: 230cm (+0cm)
Ski lifts:
- Planned: 5 lifts today - Ace Family Quad, Ace Quad Center 4, Hirafu Gondola, King Quad 3, King 4
- Night skiing: Ace Center Four quad (every day) and Ace Family quad (Saturdays only at the moment)
-----
Niseko HANAZONO Resort
24 hours new snowfall (as reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 23cm
- Base: 22cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 340cm (-7cm)
- Base: 242cm (+17cm)
Ski lifts:
- Planned: 3 lifts today - Hanazono 1, 2 and 3
- There is no night skiing at Hanazono
-----
Niseko Annupuri
24 hours new snowfall (as reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 10cm
- Base: 10cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 340cm (+0cm)
- Base: 210cm (+0cm)
Ski lifts:
- Planned: 4 lifts today - Jumbo 2 and 3 rested
- Jumbo Number 1 quad lift operates for night skiing
-----
Niseko Village
24 hours new snowfall (as reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 10cm
- Base: 5cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 330cm (+0cm)
- Base: 214cm (-16cm)
Ski lifts:
- Planned: 4 lifts today - Niseko Gondola, Community, Banzai, Wonderland
- Community Chair lift operates for night skiing
-----
Night time operations are available in the Niseko Grand Hirafu, Niseko Village and Niseko Annupuri areas until 7th March 2021.
There is no night skiing in the Niseko HANAZONO area.
Niseko Now 2020-2021 season |
Data as of Tuesday 2nd March 2021 Total snowfall at base so far 1141cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 83 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 48cm (17th February) November 2020 snowfall 62cm reported on 6 days December 2020 snowfall 348cm reported on 25 days January 2021 snowfall 387cm reported on 27 days February 2021 snowfall 325cm reported on 24 days March 2021 snowfall 19cm reported on 1 day |
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.