Niseko Now: Saturday 30th January 2016
- Jan 30, 2016
- 3 min read
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 1cm
Snowfall at base this season 600cm
Posted on Saturday 30th January 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here
It is a lovely morning here in Niseko.
I think I said there was a chance of a sunny start to the day in the report yesterday. And so it is, big time!
It is really very cold as well this morning, down into minus double digits here at base. But that won't stop people from wanting to get up out there as early as possible.
With little wind to mess things about today (hurray!), all of the resorts are be planning on having all of the lifts moving as normal as normal - though just at the moment the Ace Number 2 Center Quad at Niseko Grand Hirafu seems to have a few early morning issues and is being delayed much to the dismay of the people lining up for it, who are currently being re-directed to the nearby Ace Number 1 lift. Let's hope they get that fixed quickly.
Just 1cm of snow since yesterday so no deep fresh out there this morning but the weather should make up for that.
The groomed runs all look very neat and tidy ready to be messed up!
The clear blue skies might not last the day and it's forecast to be cloudy but we probably can't expect much snow before the end of tomorrow, so maybe that's our lot for January.
It's going to be a busy one today. Take care and have fun.
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Niseko Avalanche Report:
Niseko base 6.00am: -12°C, no new snow, calm. Moiwa 800m: -15°C, light winds, minor snowdrift development. Mikaeri 740m: -13.4°C, W0.2m/s, Annupuri 1150m: -13°C, light winds, trace new snow. Hirafu 1000m -15°C, light winds, minor snowdrift development. Coastal data: Benkei Cape:S3m/s. Kamui Cape NE3m/s, 1023hPa, wave 1.1m.
Under the influence of high pressure area, both the sea and mountains are calm. Following inspection of Higashi One area, peak gates 2,3 will be opened. Kozan no sawa (backbowl) sidewall, Osawa cornice 1100m, snowdrift stabilization is delayed and from observation surface slab fractures 40cm depth are likely to occur. Today there will be many mountain users, don't downplay the dangers on the mountain. Carelessly starting an avalanche could take out many people below you in the valleys. Snow in the forest is good, although take care with your route finding. Don't traverse cornice slopes or knolls just to get where you want to go.
Niseko mountain management and the Avalanche Institute spend a lot of energy balancing providing a minimum level of safety and the freedom to ride out of bounds for all mountain users. If you are riding out of bounds there is a strong expectation on you to have consideration for the safety of other mountain users. Please listen to the patrols advice before exiting the gates. Have a great day.
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Official resort snow depths as of Saturday 30th January 2016:
Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono
Top - 320cm
Base - 140cm
Niseko Village
Top - 270cm
Base - 160cm
Niseko Annupuri
Top - 270cm
Base - 150cm
Niseko Now 2015-2016 season |
Data as of Saturday 30th January 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 600cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 46 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 295cm 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.