Niseko Now: Wednesday 5th January 2022
- Jan 5, 2022
- 4 min read
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 10cm
Snowfall at base this season 459cm
Posted on Wednesday 5th January 2022 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here
The consistent snow continues. 10cm to report this morning from yesterday as the clouds have cleared up leaving us with a fine night.
It doesn't feel quite as cold this morning, but it's still -5C. Snow has started falling once again though I wouldn't expect too much today - more in terms of cm due Friday and Saturday.
Unfortunately at the start of the day all top lifts are on hold and gondolas going a bit slower than usual.
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My monthly recap is getting very late. Sorry. I hope to get that written today in time for tomorrow.
Yesterday I was very distracted by something the SnowJapan guys showed me. All I can say is... look forward to similarly being distracted sometime (fairly) soon! :)
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Niseko Avalanche Report
Moiwa base: -8℃, 20cm snowfall, calm. Moiwa 800m: -10℃, light wind, 30cm snowfall, cornices and snowdrifts are developing. Annupuri 1100m: -11℃, NE 5m/s, 40cm snowfall, cornices and snowdrifts developments. Hirafu 1300m: -11℃, N 5m/s, 30cm snowfall, snowdrift development.
The atmospheric pressure gradient is still steep, but the wind has come down from midnight to dawn, and the snowdrifts are developing slowly. Tree runs are in a fantastic condition covered in crystal snow, except wind affected terrains above 1100m elevation. The sky is clearing and the base is colder due to radiative cooling. Gates are due to open. Please listen to patrols advice and be prepared when you go outside the gates. Do not duck ropes. According to the observation and weather data, avalanche risks are still high in the Backbowl side walls (Kozan no Sawa) and Oono no Sawa in the Higashi One cornice slopes. Avalanches in the Backbowl side walls (Kozan no sawa) slides especially fast through long distances and sweeps the entire valley. We strongly recommend not to go into these slopes today just yet. Do not hang around in the bottom of the gullies.
Do you have a beacon? It may save your life as well as someone else's. There is no safety in the winter mountains.
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Planned ski area operations: Wednesday 5th January 2022
The below snow depth and snowfall data is manually checked each morning and believed to be correct at time of report.
Niseko Grand Hirafu
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 290cm (+5cm)
- Base: 150cm (+5cm)
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 20cm
- Base: 20cm
Planned lift operations (subject to weather conditions):
- Ace Family quad
- Ace Number 2 Center Four quad [* open for night skiing until 7:00pm]
- Hirafu Gondola
- Holiday Number 1 pair
- King Number 3 quad
- Swinging Monkey
- King Number 4
Planned open courses:
- All courses open
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Niseko HANAZONO Resort
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 230cm (+5cm)
- Base: 172cm (+2cm)
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 15cm
- Base: 10cm
Planned lift operations (subject to weather conditions):
- Hanazono Number 1
- Hanazono Number 2 quad
- Hanazono Number 3 quad
- Hanazono Symphony Gondola [* open for night skiing until 7:00pm]
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Niseko Annupuri
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 220cm (+10cm)
- Base: 150cm (+10cm)
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 20cm
- Base: 20cm
Planned lift operations (subject to weather conditions):
- All lifts operating
- Annupuri Gondola
- Dream Number 1 quad
- Jumbo Number 1 quad [* open for night skiing until 7:30pm]
- Jumbo Number 2 pair
- Jumbo Number 3 pair
- Jumbo Number 4 pair
Planned open courses:
- All but one course are now open
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Niseko Village
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 200cm no change
- Base: 140cm no change
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 10cm
- Base: 10cm
Planned lift operations (subject to weather conditions):
- Niseko Gondola
- Village Express
- Community Chair [* open for night skiing until 7:00pm]
- Banzai Chair
- Wonderland Chair
Niseko Now 2021-2022 season |
Data as of Wednesday 5th January 2022 Total snowfall at base so far 459cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 34 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 40cm (23rd December) November 2021 snowfall 85cm reported on 6 days December 2021 snowfall 307cm reported on 23 days January 2022 snowfall 67cm reported on 5 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.