Niseko Now: Friday 6th March 2020
- Mar 6, 2020
- 3 min read
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 9cm
Snowfall at base this season 683cm
Posted on Friday 6th March 2020 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here
Hello and good morning from Hirafu base.
This morning we have light (to moderate just before, eased off again right now) snow and moderate wind, though less than yesterday.
I am measuring 9cm of fresh snow down at base and I note that both Hirafu and Hanazono appear to be reporting 15cm on upper slopes.
As of 8:30am the top lifts at Hanazono, Village and Annupuri are on hold but all other lifts are scheduled to be running as planned. That may well change of course.
We are due a period of warm-up from Sunday through perhaps Tuesday; forecasts appear to show rain on Tuesday before a drop in temperatures again from around Wednesday... and hopefully some snowfall.
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Niseko Avalanche Report
Mountain base: -2℃, 10cm snowfall in 12h. Moiwa 800m: N 4°2.2m/s, -5.6℃. Annupuri 1100m: NNW 334°4.8m/s. Yu no sawa: NE 46°4m/s, -7.9℃. Village 900m: N 6° 3.4m/s, -7.1℃. Hirafu 1000m: N 7°, 11m/s, -8℃. Hanazono 720m: N 1°7.3m/s, -5.9℃. Sea of Japan Benkei cape: NE12m/s, Kamui cape: ESE3m/s, 1012hPa, 3.2m waves.
The storm has passed and the weather is calming down. The wind’s peak was around 2am, blowing over 20m/s at 1000m and higher elevation. According to observations, testing and reports, the snowpack is starting to stabilize. Gates are scheduled to open, but will be delayed. Snowdrifts over 1m thickness have developed in leeward spots above 500m elevation. The avalanche risk is high in open steep slopes, leeward knolls and cornice slopes. 50+cm thick slides are likely to occur, better stay away from those aspects. Please be prudent and make conservative decisions.
Ride one by one and do not stay put in gullies. Have you switched your beacon on?
Ask the ski patrol some advice and don’t push it too far today.
We strongly hope there are no accidents happening today. Have a nice one.
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Niseko Grand Hirafu
Official snow depth (reported by resort):
- Peak: 320cm
- Base: 125cm
All lifts are normally operating EXCEPT:
- Ace Number 1 pair lift (normally rested)
- King Number 2 quad lift (normally rested)
Lifts scheduled for late operations:
- Ace Family quad until 8:30pm
- Ace Number 2 Center Four quad until 8:20pm
- Hirafu Gondola until 8:10pm
- Holiday Number 1 pair until 8:30pm
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Niseko HANAZONO Resort
Official snow depth (reported by resort):
- Peak: 230cm
- Base: 140cm
All lifts are normally operating
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Niseko Annupuri
Official snow depth (reported by resort):
- Peak: 185cm
- Base: 110cm
All lifts are normally operating
Lift scheduled for late operations:
- Jumbo Number 1 quad until 8:30pm
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Niseko Village
Official snow depth (reported by resort):
- Peak: 190cm
- Base: 110cm
All lifts normally operating EXCEPT:
- Country Road Chair (normally rested)
Lifts scheduled for late operations:
- Annupuri Village Gondola until 8:00pm
- Village Express until 8:00pm
- Banzai Chair until 8:00pm
Niseko Now 2019-2020 season |
Data as of Friday 6th March 2020 Total snowfall at base so far 683cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 74 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 33cm (21st January) November 2019 snowfall 85cm reported on 10 days December 2019 snowfall 207cm reported on 21 days January 2020 snowfall 224cm reported on 20 days February 2020 snowfall 143cm reported on 19 days March 2020 snowfall 24cm 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.