Niseko Now: Thursday 9th January 2025
- Jan 9, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: Dec 9, 2025
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 14cm
Snowfall at base this season 428cm
Posted on Thursday 9th January 2025 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here
Lifts were disrupted yesterday with some pesky strong winds blowing around, but some good snowfall too.
So, yes, I have some a nice new layer of fresh snow to report to you this morning - 14cm of light and dry, quality snow. Accepted, with many thanks.
It is still snowing this morning, with quite a lot forecast in particular for tonight into tomorrow. Looking forward to telling you about it.
Lifts might well continue to be disrupted as this particular storm does its thing. (Early morning top lifts and the Annupuri gondola are on hold).
Next Monday (13th) is a national holiday, 'Coming of Age Day'. That means that the upcoming weekend is a 3-day holiday in Japan and traditionally one of the busiest of the season for ski areas in Japan. So if plan to you venture outside of Niseko and visit some Japanese ski areas, be prepared. ;)
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Niseko Avalanche Report
Mountain base -7℃, 15cm snowfall. Moiwa 800m: -10.6℃, ENE5.2m/s (20m at midnight), cornices are developing. Annupuri 1100m: -12.9℃, W8.8m/s (max 30m/s at 0am). Hirafu Hanazono: -12.4℃, ESE4.0m/s. Coastal data: Benkei cape NW18m/s, Kamui cape WSW12m/s, 1002hPa, 2.2m waves.
The Low Pressure on the Sea of Okhotsk is down to 977hPa and getting even stronger. The atmospheric pressure gradient is very steep. 30m/s westerly winds were recorded at 1200m elevation at midnight. The snowfall intensity was strong and slabs development was high. Avalanche risk is extremely high in the Backbowl (Kozan no sawa) all areas, Annupuri Bowl (O-sawa) cornice slopes, Higashi-One’s east to north aspects. Potential sliding layer would be Jan 7th’s, 80+cm thickness. The wind is forecasted to calm down after 10am, however the snowpack will remain very unstable in cornice slopes and knolls above 800m elevation. Stay away from the gully bottoms even if the wind drops and the chairlifts start running. Avalanches are natural phenomena and are only an accident if someone is caught in one. Be careful not to put your life at risk by placing too much confidence in your knowledge and/or experience. Wishful thinking might not work this time. All gates opening are undecided, please respect the ski patrol’s decisions. The snow is amazing. Is your beacon switched on? Don’t duck ropes!! Have a great day.
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Individual ski area information for Thursday 9th January 2025
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.
*** TOP LIFTS AFFECTED BY WIND THIS MORNING ***
Niseko HANAZONO Resort
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 10cm
Base: 15cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 225cm (+5cm change since yesterday)
Base: 195cm (+12cm change since yesterday)
Lifts:
All lifts are scheduled to be operating
The gondola is scheduled to be open until 7:00pm
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Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu
Official 24 hours snowfall (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 23cm
Base: 15cm
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 260cm (+15cm change since yesterday)
Base: 140cm (+10cm change since yesterday)
Lifts:
All scheduled lifts are operating
The Ace Gondola, Ace Family quad, King Gondola and King Holiday pair lifts are scheduled to be open until 7:00pm
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Niseko Village Ski Resort
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 155cm (no change since yesterday)
Base: 130cm (no change since yesterday)
Lifts:
All lifts are operating
The Upper Village Gondola, Village Express and Banzai Chair lifts are scheduled to be open until 7:00pm
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Niseko Annupuri Kokusai
Official snow depth (reported by the ski area):
Peak: 180cm (no change since yesterday)
Base: 130cm (no change since yesterday)
Lifts:
All scheduled lifts are operating
The Jumbo Number 1 quad lift is scheduled to be open until 7:30pm
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Niseko Moiwa Ski Resort
Lifts:
All scheduled lifts are operating
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Night skiing
Floodlit night skiing is planned daily until Wednesday 23rd March 2025.
Niseko Now 2024-2025 season |
Data as of Thursday 9th January 2025 Total snowfall at base so far 428cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 44 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 23cm (16th December) November 2024 snowfall 38cm reported on 8 days December 2024 snowfall 311cm reported on 28 days January 2025 snowfall 79cm reported on 8 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.