Niseko Now: Wednesday 3rd January 2018
- Jan 3, 2018
- 6 min read
Updated: Dec 3, 2025
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 3cm
Snowfall at base this season 597cm
Posted on Wednesday 3rd January 2018 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here
A bit disappointing that there is only a small amount of fresh snow to report this morning. I was hoping for more and surely there will be more at higher elevations. Go high and seek, I say!
It's mostly cloudy at the moment though there is some blue sky appearing in places. It is a quite nice morning actually. Definitely colder overnight and at the start of the day, and we shouldn't be too surprised if some light snow falls during the day.
I don't have much else to report this morning, so over to my season recap waffle...
A look back at the season so far: December 2017:
It’s time for me to look back at the season so far and see how we are doing, big-picture. Before I start, I want to remind you that all the numbers from my reports are available at any time on each of the archived Niseko Now reports (linked below) as well as by clicking on that lovely blue ‘Snowfall Analysis’ tab at the top of this page. I highly recommend that you have excite let’s checking sessions when you have a bit of time. You might get lost in it all; but in a good way. All very interesting.
Here’s the snowfall that I have measured myself here near the base of Hirafu over the last six years in the month of December:
December 2017: 406cm
December 2016: 181cm
December 2015: 244cm
December 2014: 519cm
December 2013: 275cm
December 2012: 418cm
So, it turns out that in December 2017 I did not actually observe as much fresh snowfall as I did in December 2014 and in December 2012, but it was still jolly exciting with over 4m.
The numbers look more impressive when you add in the snowfall from November too; here’s my total observed snowfall through until the end of December over the last six seasons:
The season total up until the end of December 2017: 594cm
The season total up until the end of December 2016: 293cm
The season total up until the end of December 2015: 308cm
The season total up until the end of December 2014: 549cm
The season total up until the end of December 2013: 398cm
The season total up until the end of December 2012: 536cm
Looking at the season as a whole so far, we are ‘winning’. Almost 6m of snowfall by the end of December. This is at base, so there will be more than that up on them there mountains.
That’s rather impressive, don’t you think. It is almost double the amount of snow that I observed over the previous two seasons in the same period. Almost 6m of snowfall is also not that far off what I observed over the entire 2016-2017 season (688cm). Yikes.
Remember, the previous two seasons were generally/relatively disappointing as you can see if you do go back and read through my reports. And before I get a barrage of ‘outraged’ mail coming in because of that comment, I am of course not saying that the skiing was rubbish. I am just saying that in terms of snowfall, we did not get what we expect = disappointing. The reports are there if you want to read them.
2014 was interesting. Really heavy snowfall in the month of December 2014 making up for a disappointing November 2014. A big difference this season is how we have been enjoying regular snowfall right through since the middle of November - surely the preferred pattern.
If you look back at the lovely graphs that are displayed on each of the Niseko Now reports (they show the observed snowfall on each day over the 21 days before the date of the report), you’ll see just how consistent the snowfall has been this season. By my reckoning, since November 13th there have only been 11 days when I have not been able to report any fresh snowfall at base.
Something that has just caught my eye - 5 of those no-snow-to-report days have been over the last 11 days. Hopefully that is just a bit of a ‘blip’ in the excellent run of consistency. It has to be said though that as it currently stands the forecast for the coming week doesn't scream 'heavy snow'! We shall see.
Anyway, it has been a quality first part of the season in Niseko.
Can the season continue in the same way? Let us hope so!
What to expect from the month of January
Looking ahead, here’s how much snowfall I have recorded in the month of January over the last 5 seasons. The numbers in brackets show the total snowfall observed up until the end of January in each season.
January 2017: 152cm (445cm)
January 2015: 303cm (611cm)
January 2014: 257cm (806cm)
January 2013: 461cm (859cm)
January 2012: 443cm (979cm)
Conveniently ignoring January 2017 for the moment (!), we have generally seen between 2.5 and 4.5m of snow in January.
Lastly, as some extra data to take in, here is the data that the Japan Meteorological Agency report from their observation station in Kutchan town:
December 2017: 324cm
December 2016: 235cm
December 2015: 195cm
December 2014: 387cm
December 2013: 258cm
December 2012: 306cm
The season total up until the end of December 2017: 493cm
The season total up until the end of December 2016: 408cm
The season total up until the end of December 2015: 230cm
The season total up until the end of December 2014: 428cm
The season total up until the end of December 2013: 357cm
The season total up until the end of December 2012: 404cm
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I will be with you each morning right through until the last lifts stop moving in May.
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And let me just add: if you like what we do here, please do let other folk know about these reports and SnowJapan.com if you can. The support all helps keep us motivated to putting in all the effort! Thank you. :)
Any comments welcome here.
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Niseko Avalanche Report:
Niseko base 6am: light snowfall, calm. Moiwa800m: -7.6℃, NNW2.5m/s, snowdrifts developed overnight, light snowfall and calm. Annupuri1150m: -14℃, light NE breeze, 30cm snowdrifts in leeward aspects. Hirafu peak ridge: -13℃, light wind, 20cm snowfall with small snowdrifts. Coastal data: Benkei cape SSE2m/s, Kamui cape W3m/s, 1007hPa, 1.0m waves.
A small low-pressure system over the Sea of Japan is spreading the isobars, resulting in cold but mild wind condition. The overnight snowfall is small and surface hoar has formed in slopes below 600m. Snowdrifts have slowly developed in leeward slopes above 800m under yesterday’s snow & wind. 30cm of fresh deposit have smoothed out the slopes in leeward aspects. Today’s surface will turn into a potential avalanche trigger layer in the future snowpack.
The overall avalanche risk is relatively low today. Peak gates are expected to open from the morning. Better make the most of it in the morning as the weather is forecasted to deteriorate. Cracks also starting to open in many spots. Those cracks are not an imminent sign of a climax slide, however better stay away from its path.
Ski down the fall line, not across it. Cutting across knolls and steep slopes is an absolute stupid idea. It can easily cause an avalanche and bury people underneath you.
Some parts of the Backbowl sidewalls are forming hard slabs under the late easterly wind. Use extreme caution as those slabs could slide with light skiing impact.
Haru No Taki area is being patrolled regularly. Stay away from strictly off limits areas.
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Wednesday 3rd January 2018
Resort specific information (operations subject to change):
Niseko Grand Hirafu & Niseko HANAZONO Resort
Lifts scheduled to be operating:
- All lifts are operating
Official snow depth:
- Top: 315cm
- Base: 145cm
Niseko Annupuri Kokusai
Lifts scheduled to be operating:
- All lifts are operating
Official snow depth:
- Top: 240cm
- Base: 140cm
Niseko Village
Lifts scheduled to be operating:
- All lifts except Country Road Chair are operating
Official snow depth:
- Top: 250cm
- Base: 170cm
Niseko Now 2017-2018 season |
Data as of Wednesday 3rd January 2018 Total snowfall at base so far 597cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 39 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 38cm (21st December) November 2017 snowfall 188cm reported on 11 days December 2017 snowfall 406cm reported on 27 days January 2018 snowfall 3cm 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.