Niseko Now: Thursday 31st December 2015
- Dec 31, 2015
- 4 min read
Updated: Dec 2, 2025
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 5cm
Snowfall at base this season 305cm
Posted on Thursday 31st December 2015 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here
Yesterday was as fine as I thought it would be. I think the people who were here experiencing it will have been satisfied. Beautiful conditions both in terms of weather and snow, with hardly any wind around either. Very nice.
It's a different start to the day this morning. Though it was clearer when I first got up, it's a much cloudier and overcast feel right now with light snow on and off expected this morning.
Oh yes, did I mention the 5cm or so that we have got overnight? Only 5cm! We want 20cm each day, where do I complain! Still, it's a quality 5cm and there is more on the way - the forecast for the next week is still looking good for regular snowfall topups and continued cold conditions. The wind might even behave. So it should be a good week.
Top Ace 4 at Hirafu is open this morning and as you can see in the Avalanche Report below some gates too. I think that from tomorrow I'll be able to start the new year not listing up the lifts that are moving, as we are pretty much there now.
New Years Eve already. I hope that you have fun tonight - remember to take care (see yesterdays report).
And I'll see you in the New Year. Forgive me if my report is slightly later than usual tomorrow morning.
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Niseko Avalanche Report:
Niseko base 6am: -6℃, 5cm of crystal snow in 12 hours, calm. Moiwa 800m: light breeze, -10℃, 10cm snowfall without snowdrift development. Annupuri 1000m: -10℃, calm. 1150m: W15m/s, moderate wind with snowdrift and light sprinkles. Coastal data: Benkei cape NW12m/s, Kamui cape WSW13m/s, 1012hPa, 1.0m waves.
Gates 4 (Fujiwara), 5 (Hanazono), 6 (Moiwa) and 10 (Ambetsu) are scheduled to open today. The lower sections are still bushy, better not venture too far. Follow the ski patrol’s instructions. There’s been tracks in yet to be open Annupuri Osawa area yesterday. Violators will be refused to further use ski resort facilities.
The Niseko Rules has been established in order to prevent accidents in the out of bounds area, however has also largely contributed in the Niseko snow-tourism’s promotion. We strongly demand all accommodations, guides and all snow related business in Niseko to acknowledge the Niseko Rules properly.
The overall avalanche risk is relatively low today except in south-facing steep slopes, however strictly off-limits areas are closed at anytime, don’t duck ropes.
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Planned resort operations (subject to change due to weather conditions during the day)
Niseko Grand Hirafu
Lifts planned to be running:
- All lifts except Ace Number 4 and King Number 2
- Night lifts: Ace Family Pair, Ace Number 2 Quad, Hirafu Gondola, Holiday Number 1
Courses planned to be open:
- All open apart from Onsenzawa
Niseko HANAZONO Resort
Lifts planned to be running:
- All lifts
- No night skiing in the Hanazono area
Courses planned to be open:
- All courses
Niseko Village
Lifts planned to be operating:
- All lifts planned to be operating (apart from Country Road Chair)
- Night lifts: Community Chair, Banzai Chair
Courses planned to be open:
- All courses
Niseko Annupuri
Lifts planned to be operating:
- All lifts planned to be operating
- Night lift: Jumbo Number 1 quad
Courses planned to be open:
- 11 out of the 13 courses are now open
- Champion
- Utopia
- Shirakaba
- Paradise
- Junior
- Family
- Dynamic
- Silver
- Merchen
- S-Ji
- Challenge
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Official resort snow depths as of Thursday 31st December 2015:
Grand Hirafu / Hanazono:
Top - 260cm
Base - 115cm
Niseko Village:
Top - 185cm
Base - 100cm
Niseko Annupuri:
Top - 120cm
Base - 100cm
Niseko Now 2015-2016 season |
Data as of Thursday 31st December 2015 Total snowfall at base so far 305cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 21 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 24cm (26th and 28th December) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 244cm reported on 17 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.