Niseko Now: Thursday 4th February 2016
- Feb 4, 2016
- 3 min read
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 9cm
Snowfall at base this season 660cm
Posted on Thursday 4th February 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here
After an excellent day on the slopes yesterday, do I have news of our 'daily refresh'? Yes I do!
This morning I measure 9cm of fresh snowfall and it's still snowing. I have just wiped the area to reset it and start recording new snow for my report tomorrow. And there's going to be some to report as well - the snow clouds are going to remain over Niseko (or at least be very close by) through until the end of the weekend. Forecasts seem to show a break in the snow on Monday and some sunshine (Happy Chinese New Year!) but then more snow after that from Tuesday.
We are certainly enjoying conditions at the moment, that's for sure.
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I have heard a few conversations over the last week or so from people who have decided at the last minute to come up to Hokkaido (and specifically Niseko or Furano) after originally booking places down in some popular resort areas on Honshu. It seems that they didn't like hearing about the relative lack of snow down there and at the same time hearing about the regular snowfall up here, and it's hard to argue with that.
I must admit though it does seem a pretty stark contrast this season. As I have said before in these reports - and as the statistics show - such a big contrast isn't 'the norm' and I'm sure that lots of SnowJapan readers are interested in the bigger picture rather than just snapshots. It is interesting to read through the reports from, say, last season and look at some of the statistics here. I find it really interesting anyway.
Whatever, it is certainly going to be interesting to see how the rest of the season shapes up, both up here in Niseko and in other regions.
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Niseko Avalanche Report:
Niseko base 6am: -5℃, 10cm snowfall. Moiwa800m: -8℃, mild wind, 10cm snow. Mikaeri 740m: -7.3℃, calm, 15cm crystal snow. Annupuri 1150m: -9℃, W5m/s, 15cm snowfall, excellent groomer conditions. Hirafu 1150m: W10m/s, 15cm snowfall, no notable development of snowdrifts. Sea of Japan Benkei cape:W11m/s at 5am, Kamui cape: SW11m/s, 1016hPa, 1.1m waves.
A small low-pressure system is present in western Sea of Japan, however the pressure gradient is small and the mountain is in a calm condition this morning. Light snowfall overnight without notable development of snowdrifts. The general avalanche risk is low. All gates are scheduled to open from the morning. Get information from the ski patrol and be well prepared before going out of the gates. Always be ready for sudden weather changes, especially in higher elevation. The snow condition is ever changing.
Paying attention to the weather transition is key to evaluate the hazards. Accidents mostly occur during stormy weather. Stay humble, hone your senses and always be prudent. The Niseko community respects the freedom to ride, but is also deeply concerned about all user’s safety. The snow is in good condition. Be careful not to hit trees and not to fall in cracks.
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Official resort snow depths as of Thursday 4th February 2016:
Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono
Top - 350cm
Base - 160cm
Niseko Village
Top - 290cm
Base - 170cm
Niseko Annupuri
Top - 300cm
Base - 170cm
Niseko Now 2015-2016 season |
Data as of Thursday 4th February 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 660cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 51 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 303cm reported on 26 days February 2016 snowfall 52cm reported on 4 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.