Niseko Now: Monday 8th January 2024
- Jan 8, 2024
- 4 min read
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 62cm
Snowfall at base this season 479cm
Posted on Monday 8th January 2024 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here
Good morning from Niseko.
And what a morning it is.
This is pretty amazing.
Some places on Honshu are known for their 'mad-snow dumpage' at times. Up here, we are used to perhaps less dramatic numbers with more consistency (my opinion, don't shout).
But, this morning, I have a Niseko-tastic 62cm of snowfall to report. Off-hand, I can't remember posting that much in any one report before. (Let's checking).
It is still snowing, lightly in places and more heavily in others. Visibility also looks quite varied. For example, poor over at Moiwa, but fairly ok at Hanazono.
The very heavy snowfall is affecting ski area operations at the normal start of the day. At 8:30am, quite a few lifts are not opening on schedule. I would expect lifts to open up as the ski areas deal with all the new snow. It is a good problem to have.
I think I'm going to have some celebratory toast and let things gradually open up before going out.
(Funny, on the Niseko United website, Hirafu is reporting 70cm of snowfall at top and, er, 0cm at base. Niseko Village are reporting 0cm at both base and summit).
(Actually, not funny).
Oh, by the way, I might not be able to post a report early morning tomorrow. It will probably be later than usual.
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Niseko Avalanche Report
Mountain base 7am: -5C, 60cm snowfall in 24h, stormy and bad visibility. Moiwa800m: -9.6C, N13.9 (max 20m/s@6am), Mikaeri 764m: -8C, N15m/s, large snowdrift developments. Hirafu Hanazono 1000m: -8.5C, N11.2m/s (max 20m/s@6am). Hanazono#3: -6.6℃, NNE4.5m/s. Coastal data: Benkei cape N16m/s, Kamui cape N13m/s, 1010hPa, 2.8m waves.
Heavy snowfall and strong wind from the coastline. 60-90cm snowfall at the base of Moiwa. 3m cornices and 2m deep snowdrifts at knoll have developed overnight. Looking at all data, the avalanche risk is extremely high in slopes above 900m elevation in Higashi-One, Backbowl, O-sawa (Annupuri bowl), Mikaeri bowl. Beware of slides from side banks of switchback courses and under chairlift. It is highly recommended to stay inbounds today and until the wind calms down and the snowpack stabilises. Do not stay put at the bottom of gullies, avalanches strike from above. Avalanches are a natural phenomenon and are not an accident until somebody is caught in it. Many cars are getting stuck in the deep snow this morning, please adjust your plan to the natural conditions. Gates opening is not decided yet.
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Individual ski area information for Monday 8th January 2024
The below snow depth and snowfall numbers are manually checked each morning from official sources.
Lift information is the planned operations for the day at the time of writing and subject to change.
**** LIFTS AFFECTED AT START OF DAY DUE TO HEAVY SNOWFALL ****
Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 70cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 290cm (+70cm since yesterday)
- Base: 0cm (-100cm since yesterday) I'm guessing that is a mistake
Lifts:
- Ace Family quad (until 7:00pm)
- Ace Number 2 quad (Center Four) (until 7:00pm)
- Ace Number 3 pair
- Hirafu Gondola (until 7:00pm)
- Holiday Number 1 pair (until 7:00pm)
- King Number 3 quad
- King Number 4
- Swinging Monkey
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Niseko HANAZONO Resort
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 60cm
- Base: 55cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 230cm (+50cm since yesterday)
- Base: 175cm (+50cm since yesterday)
Lifts:
- Hanazono Number 1
- Hanazono Number 2 quad
- Hanazono Number 3 quad
- Hanazono Symphony Gondola (until 7:00pm)
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Niseko Annupuri Kokusai
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 170cm (+30cm since yesterday)
- Base: 150cm (+40cm since yesterday)
Lifts:
- Annupuri Gondola
- Dream Number 1 quad
- Jumbo Number 1 quad (until 7:30pm)
- Jumbo Number 2 pair
- Jumbo Number 3 pair
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Niseko Village Ski Resort
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 165cm
- Base: 115cm
Lifts:
- Niseko Gondola
- Upper Village Gondola (until 7:00pm)
- Village Express (until 7:00pm)
- Community Chair
- Banzai Chair (until 7:00pm)
- Morino Chair
- Wonderland Chair
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Niseko Moiwa Ski Resort
Lifts:
- Number 1 pair
- Number 2 pair
- Quad
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Floodlit night skiing is planned daily until Wednesday 20th March 2024.
Night skiing is usually until 7:00pm at Hirafu, Hanazono, Village and until 7:30pm at Annupuri.
Niseko Now 2023-2024 season |
Data as of Monday 8th January 2024 Total snowfall at base so far 479cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 41 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 62cm (8th January) November 2023 snowfall 120cm reported on 11 days December 2023 snowfall 247cm reported on 24 days January 2024 snowfall 112cm reported on 6 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.