Niseko Now: Monday 8th March 2021
- Mar 8, 2021
- 4 min read
Updated: Dec 6, 2025
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 4cm
Snowfall at base this season 1187cm
Posted on Monday 8th March 2021 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here
This morning there is just a think layer of snow to report. Fast moving cloud at the early on with some patches of blue sky. (Are they patches, or are the clouds the patches?).
Visibility is good and looks like it will be improving with more blue sky to see over the last 15 minutes or so.
And lifts should be moving too. It's a Monday morning so a few lifts are rested (notably the Swinging Monkey and Holiday at Hirafu and Jumbo 2 and 3 at Annupuri).
And... night skiing is now over for the season. Like many things this season, that happened kind of quietly.
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Niseko Avalanche Report:
Coastal Data 6:25am. Cape Benkei:WNW8m/s. Cape Kamui: SSW10m/s, 1022hPa, wave 1.3m. Hanazono 1000m: -9.0℃, ESE4.8m/s. Hanazono 720: -6.0℃, S2.8m/s. Moiwa 800m: -7.2℃, W2.1m/s. Annupuri 1100m:-9.7℃, W7.8m/s. Yu no Sawa 1100m: -9.1℃, SW4.5m/s. Mizuno no Sawa Top: -8.7℃, WSW4.2m/s. Kutchan Town: -4.2℃, ESE1.4m/s, 4cm snow in last 24hrs, snow depth 1.4m. Moiwa Base 300m: -6.0℃, 5cm new snow in last 12hrs, light wind, sunny.
5-10cm of new snow fell at 800m overnight. Influence by the wind is small and there is only a little snowdrift development. The snow is light. From observation, the avalanche risk below 1100m is low. Surface avalanches are more likely to occur on slopes where the wind has rapidly formed slabs. There is a minor degree of slabbing today. All gates are expected to be open. Please listen to the patrol’s advice and prepare before going out of bounds. Wear a beacon and helmet. To avoid getting caught in a large avalanche do not ride in the valley bottoms of Osawa and Kozan no Sawa. Cracks are starting to open, be careful falling in. They can be deep and narrow.
Due to cracks opening up in Mizuno no Sawa area, Gate 11 will be closed. The Patrol will continue avalanche control work in the area. Do not duck the ropes to enter Mizuno no Sawa or Haru no Taki. The snow is still shallow enough to hit the bottom, but better than yesterday. On steep slopes you can make a big spray though. Be careful crashing and falling. You can't win against a tree. Have a good day.
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Planned ski area operations: Monday 8th March 2021
The below information is manually checked each morning from official sources.
The numbers in brackets show the change in the official snow depth numbers since the previous report.
Niseko Grand Hirafu
24 hours new snowfall (as reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 10cm
- Base: 10cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 490cm (+10cm)
- Base: 220cm (+0cm)
Ski lifts:
- Planned: 5 lifts today - Ace Family Quad, Ace Quad Center 4, Hirafu Gondola, King Quad 3, King 4
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Niseko HANAZONO Resort
24 hours new snowfall (as reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 5cm
- Base: 3cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 330cm (+0cm)
- Base: 230cm (-5cm)
Ski lifts:
- Planned: 3 lifts today - Hanazono 1, 2 and 3
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Niseko Annupuri
24 hours new snowfall (as reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 0cm
- Base: 0cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 340cm (+0cm)
- Base: 210cm (+0cm)
Ski lifts:
- Planned: 4 lifts today - all apart from Jumbo 2 and 3
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Niseko Village
24 hours new snowfall (as reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 5cm
- Base: 5cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
- Peak: 341cm (+11cm)
- Base: 220cm (+10cm)
Ski lifts:
- Planned: 5 lifts today - Niseko Gondola, Village Express, Community, Banzai, Wonderland
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Night skiing has now finished for the 2020-2021 season.
Niseko Now 2020-2021 season |
Data as of Monday 8th March 2021 Total snowfall at base so far 1187cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 87 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 48cm (17th February) November 2020 snowfall 62cm reported on 6 days December 2020 snowfall 348cm reported on 25 days January 2021 snowfall 387cm reported on 27 days February 2021 snowfall 325cm reported on 24 days March 2021 snowfall 65cm 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.