Snow and weather reports posted on Sunday 17th January 2021
Niseko Now!
Thursday 1st May 2014, 8:31am
Weather conditions:
Cloudy
New snowfall:
0cm
Snow depth:
10cm
So here we are. May 2014. Though I must admit, personally I feel this 'spring' bit of the season goes on for quite a while. I suppose you get that reporting on it every day.
Lots of cloud this morning so it's generally quite grey. There's a chance of some rainfall today.
As I have done each month, lets take a look at the snow numbers for April. I observed just 13cm of snow for the month here; JMA numbers from Kutchan actually beating that at 24cm (which is pretty much about the same as for the previous 5 seasons).
That took my observations for the season so far to 1163cm... not quite as exiting as last seasons observed 1583cm for the whole season, but still... a fair amount of snow! (And remember, that's at base - there's more up there on those mountains).
I'll do a final round up of that kind of thing at the end of the season.
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Official snow depth numbers and planned operating lifts at time of writing:
Grand Hirafu: Top - 215cm Base - 10cm
Ace Number 2 Center Four lift King Number 3 Triple King Number 4 (* Hirafu Gondola will now be open for the last four days of the season... 3rd-6th May)
Annupuri: Top - 250cm Base - 40cm
Annupuri Gondola Jumbo No1 quad Jumbo No4 pair
Niseko Village: Top - 250cm Base - 30cm
Niseko Gondola Wonderland Chair
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Niseko Annupuri plans to be at least part open until Tuesday 6th May. Niseko Grand Hirafu plans to be at least part open until Tuesday 6th May. Niseko Village plans to be at least part open until Tuesday 6th May.
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Niseko Hanazono Resort is now closed for the season. Read more ...
Nozawa Onsen Now!
Thursday 1st May 2014, 8:31am
Weather conditions:
Cloud, blue sky
New snowfall:
0cm
Snow depth:
90cm
There's quite a lot of cloud around, but blue sky too with the sun shining down at the moment, on this first day of May. We're being told of a chance of some light rain later on in the day but so far escaping much of that and hopefully might do so today too.
After that, it's fine conditions forecast for the last days of the season through until Tuesday.
6 days to go!
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Lifts will be opening 30 minutes earlier than normal from Saturday 3rd May until Tuesday 6th May --> Nagasaka Gondola will open from 8:10am.
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Thursday 1st May 2014:
Official snow depths: Yamabiko - 190cm Uenotaira - 90cm
Lifts Planned operating lifts for today: Nagasaka Gondola Yamabiko Four Yamabiko Number 2 Four Skyline connecting Uenotaira Four Paradise Four Yunomine Pair
Courses Planned courses to be open: Yamabiko A Yamabiko B Yamabiko C Yamabiko D Yamabiko E Kogenashi Paradise Uenotaira Bunabayashi Rinkan
Nozawa Onsen is open until Tuesday 6th May Read more ...
Yuzawa Now!
Thursday 1st May 2014, 9:04am
Weather conditions:
Blue sky, some cloud
New snowfall:
0cm
Snow depth:
0cm
It ended up really quite windy yesterday at times, but we didn't get much rain really (not that I noticed anyway). Up to 22 degrees yesterday.
This morning quite a lot of blue sky and the sun is out. Though local forecasts have us down for cloud and perhaps some light rain again later on in the day. For now though, nice and sunny. Currently 17 degrees, high of 21C forecast.
GALA Yuzawa is open as normal today after a day closed due to the wind yesterday. And Kagura remains open as well of course.
The latest forecast for the second part of Golden Week and the long 4 day weekend is for mostly clearer weather and hopefully lots of sun.
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Current planned resort operations:
3rd-6th May only: Naeba (Takenokodaira and Daishamen slopes - may change depending on snow conditions)
Daily until 6th May: GALA Yuzawa (Central and part of North Area) Kagura (Tashiro area)
Daily until 25th May: Kagura (Mitsumata and main Kagura area)
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All other resorts in the region are now closed for the season.
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Official resort snow depths @ Thursday 1st May 2014, AM: Kagura (Tashiro): 210cm Kagura (Mitsumata): 270cm Gala Yuzawa: 130cm Read more ...
Hakuba Now!
Thursday 1st May 2014, 9:05am
Weather conditions:
Mostly cloudy, sun at times
New snowfall:
0cm
Snow depth:
0cm
After that rainy start to the day yesterday things dried up later on in the day and the clouds gradually moved higher revealing more of the mountains as the afternoon went on. Visibility remained limited in places on the open resort slopes though from time to time.
It's clearer this morning, though there is still a lot of cloud around. The sun has been showing through the clouds every now and again since earlier on. It's about 15C in the village just after 9am.
Sun (some cloud) and warmth seems to be what is forecast from tomorrow through into next week.
Remember, Happo-one, Hakuba 47 and Tsugaike Kogen are all open until Tuesday with Hakuba Goryu planning to battle on until the following Sunday.
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Official snow depth numbers and operations at resorts remaining open (as of 1st May 2014):
Hakuba Goryu: Plans to be open until 11th May. Top area open, need to get gondola back down to base. Upper - 135cm Toomi - 0cm
Hakuba 47: Plans to be open until 6th May. Almost all of Hakuba 47 remains open though snow very thin in some areas. Upper - 80cm Lower - 20cm
Happo-one: Plans to be open until 6th May. Top areas (Riesen Grat, Usagidaira, Kurobishi, Panorama, Skyline) open. Need to get lift back down to base. Usagidaira - 85cm Lower - 0cm
Tsugaike Kogen: Plans to be open until 6th May. Top area remains open. Tsuganomori - 156cm Lower - 0cm
All other resorts now closed for the season. Read more ...
Zao Now!
Thursday 1st May 2014, 9:29am
Weather conditions:
Cloudy
New snowfall:
0cm
Snow depth:
90cm
Lots of fog yesterday and a bit of rain up on the mountain too.
Cloudy at the moment though we are told to expect some rain today as well. 11 degrees here in base village as we approach 9:30am.
Things should be clearing up by tomorrow though and hopefully we can have good weather conditions through until the end of the season on Tuesday.
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I will be away for the weekend from tomorrow, and so I plan to post my last Zao Now report of the season early next week as the resort closes for skiing and boarding.
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The Zao Echoline road is now open. It seems that until some time in early May they will be closing the road from 5pm until 8am the next morning but during the day time it's open to enjoy.
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Operating ski lifts at Zao until 6th May (* subject to change):
Daily until 6th May: Ropeways and Gondolas (open through the year) Chuo Number 1 Pair Chuo Number 2 Pair Utopia Number 2 Pair Katakai Triple Paradise Pair AB
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Official snow depths (1st May 14): Utopia: 100cm Chuo: 90cm Paradise: 100cm Uwanodai: -
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Here's some news about the Ropeways after the skijo closes. They are open 'throughout the year' but actually do close for periods of time for maintenance work. And here's the plans for them:
Zao Ropeway
Lower section & Utopia Number 1 summer lift: Closed from Wednesday 7th May until Wednesday 4th June (* but will open on 24th and 25th May)
Upper section: Closed from Wednesday 7th May until Thursday 19th June (* but will open on 14th, 15th and 16th June)
Zao Chuo Ropeway
Closed from Wednesday 7th May until Friday 13th June
After some rain falling on us yesterday, it's a dry morning here in Shiga Kogen. The sun is out and nice blue skies with some white clouds making it a fine spring morning.
Hopefully over the coming weekend we'll have mostly fine weather.
Lots of lifts will be closing at the end of the day on Tuesday 6th, leaving us with just the Kumanoyu and Yokoteyama/Shibutoge resort areas in the south area of Shiga Kogen from Wednesday. Please remember that Kumanoyu is a skiers-only hill, while there are some snowboarding restrictions at Yokoteyama as well. (Not my rules!!)
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Tannenomori: Number 8 quad lift - until 6th May
Ichinose Diamond: Diamond quad lift - until 6th May.
Ichinose Family: Ichinose Number 2 Pair B - until 6th May Ichinose quad - until 6th May
Ichinose Yamanokami: 26th April until 6th May
Terakoya: Quad lift - until 6th May Pair lift - until 6th May
Mammoth: Quad lift - until 6th May Triple lift - 3rd-6th May
Yakebitaiyama: Number 2 Gondola - until 6th May Number 2 high speed - until 6th May
Okushiga Kogen: Number 2 pair lift - until 6th May Number 3 pair lift - until 6th May Number 4 pair lift - until 6th May Gondola - until 6th May
Kumanoyu: Number 1 pair - until 6th May Number 2 pair - until 11th May Number 3 quad - until 6th May Number 4 pair - unconfirmed
Yokoteyama: No firm details but as long as there's snow - probably beyond Golden Week
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All other areas are now closed for the season. Read more ...
Furano Now!
Thursday 1st May 2014, 10:46am
Weather conditions:
Sunny
New snowfall:
0cm
Snow depth:
120cm
Overnight there has been a fair amount of rain fall but the day is clear at the moment with blue skies and sunshine.
The upper slopes are in great condition for this time of year and are providing particularly good skiing in the cool of the early morning.
We are now in the final week of operation for the season.
