Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 11cm Snowfall at base this season 417cm Posted on Monday 31st December 2018 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here So here we are on the last day of 2018 and a further 11cm of fresh snowfall to add to my report - I suspect there will be considerably more than that up on the mountain today. Some lifts were closed yesterday due to the blizzardy weather conditions but things look much calmer this morning. What a lovely morning to end the year. The sun is out and there are blue skies with just a few small clouds hanging around here and there. There are lots of people lining up to get the first lift of the day... come on, give us a wave! I predict that you are going to have a very good day. As this is the last report of 2018, I see that my total observed snowfall for the month is 333cm and the total observed snowfall for the season so far is 417cm. I'll be sitting down with some toast and coffee over the next few days and will post my thoughts and in-depth scientific expert analysis on the season so far in a report later this week. ;) There will be all sorts of events going on today and tonight to celebrate the new year. Don't forget, the bars all close at 9:30pm tonight. . . . . . . . (I'm just kidding!!) Look out for some 'torchlight skiing' at 11:30pm - close to the King Number 1 pair lift at Hirafu. You can maybe practice counting down numbers in Japanese. Or, I wonder if they do it in English? I have not been to that for a while! Answers on a postcard please. Anyway, fireworks at 20 past midnight. Similar events are happening at Niseko Annupuri (fireworks and torchlit skiing) and Niseko Village (fireworks) - if you are here, please ask your accommodation folks and they will surely give you the details. For those without a screaming headache tomorrow morning, how about getting the Gondola at Niseko Annupuri at 7:20am? It's open from then until 8:20am - a special lift ticket costing 1,500 yen is necessary to use that service. The Niseko Gondola (at Niseko Village) will also be running on 1st January from 6:30am - that costs 1,400 yen for adults and 1,000 yen for children. I hope you all have a good day today and I will see you on the other side. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6am: -3.5℃, 40cm snowfall in 24 hours, 5cm in the last 12 hours. Moiwa800m: -6℃, good visibility, 60cm of wind-affected snow and 180cm cornices have developed in the past 24hours. Notable snowdrifts developments are present in Mikaeri. Visibility is good. 170cm snow depth at Annupuri1120m. Niseko Village1000m: -8.61℃, light breeze, clear sky, 16cm snowfall in 24hours. Hirafu peak1250m: -7℃, light wind, good visibility, 100cm snowdrifts in 24hours. Coastal data Benkei cape: N9m/s, Kamui cape: E2m/s, 1027hPa, 3.1m waves. Kutchan Weather Station: snow depth 120cm. The isobars are spreading out, warm air is flowing into the sea of Japan and mountain weather is calm. The past storm have left very large development of snowdrifts and cornices, up to 100cm thickness in some places. The snow at 800m elevation is starting to stabilize, however 80cm slab avalanches are still likely to occur. Prominent weak layer is Dec 30th depth hoar layer. The avalanche hazard level is still high in 900m south facing slopes, 1000m O-sawa & Backbowl cornice slopes. Better not drop into steep faces carelessly. Collapsing large cornices’ weight is equivalent to a fully-loaded bus. The snow in the tree runs are amazing, however creeks are yet to be buried. Beware of holes. Listen to the ski patrol’s instructions at the gates and be prepared for the backcountry. Prudency is key to live and enjoy another day. Have a great day. --- Ski resort operation information: Monday 31st December 2018 The below information is manually checked each morning and believed to be correct at time of report. Subject to change! Niseko Grand Hirafu Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 260cm - Base: 115cm Ski lifts operating: - All lifts apart from Ace Number 4 pair lift are normally operating - The Ace Family quad (until 8:30pm), Ace Center 4 quad (8:20pm), Hirafu Gondola (until 8:10pm) and Holiday Number 1 pair (until 8:30pm) lifts are normally open during the evening - The Center Four lift will be open early between 7th-31st January 2019 (more details soon - when I can find them!) Niseko HANAZONO Resort Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 195cm - Base: 137cm Ski lifts operating: - All Hanazono lifts are normally operating - The Hanazono lifts are normally open until 3:30pm Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Courses: - All official courses are now available ----- Niseko Annupuri Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 220cm - Base: 110cm Ski lifts operating: - All Annupuri lifts are normally operating - The Jumbo 1 lift is normally open until 8:30pm during the evening - Annupuri First run from 7:20am until 8:20am on 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 12th, 13th, 14th January. (1,500 yen charge) ----- Niseko Village Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 230cm - Base: 130cm Ski lifts operating: - All lifts apart from the Country Road Chair are normally operating - The Upper Village Gondola, Village Express and Banzai Chair lifts are normally open until 8:00pm during the evening Niseko Now 2018-2019 season Data as of Monday 31st December 2018 Total snowfall at base so far 417cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 34 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 32cm (29th December) November 2018 snowfall 84cm reported on 8 days December 2018 snowfall 333cm reported on 26 days Previous report Next report 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. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 17cm Snowfall at base this season 406cm Posted on Sunday 30th December 2018 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here There are just two more days left in 2018 - they're really flying by aren't they. I hope I'm not boring you with news of fresh snowfall every day - today I am measuring 17cm. Right now the snow seems to be easing off and there are even signs that there might be a few breaks in the cloud. Or maybe not. The forecasts show snow clouds generally remaining over the region. As you might notice below it looks like Gate 6 is going to be opening along with gates 2 and 3 from 1st January. I'm not feeling particularly wordy this morning, so let's leave it at that for today and enjoy the excellent conditions that we have right now. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Mountain Base 6.00am: -7°, 10cm new snow in the last 12 hrs, calm. Moiwa 800m: -10°, NW8m/s, 40cm new snow in last 24hrs, snowdrift development. Mikaeri Weather Station: snow depth 210cm. Niseko Village Mizuno no Sawa 1000m: -10.12°, 21cm new snow in last 12 hrs. Hirafu Ridgeline: -12°, NW10m/s, snow drift development. Kutchan Weather Station: snow depth 103cm. Coastal data: Benkei Cape: NW13m/s. Kamui Cape: NNE9m/s, 1003hPa, wave 3.0m. The atmospheric pressure gradient is shallow and the snow wind is calming down. The western Mikaeri area has received quite a lot of snow and snowdrift development. Yesterdays tracks are mostly buried. From observation the avalanche risk is dropping, however be careful around knolls and on cornice slopes. The risk of avalanche from a deep layer continues. Please do not enter strictly off limits areas like Haru no Taki. Gate 6 is expected to be open. Please listen to the patrols advice and prepare before entering out of bounds areas. Preparations are being made to open peak gates 2 & 3 on New Years Day. Do not duck ropes to enter Kozan no sawa, Osawa or Fujiwara no sawa. Niseko protects your freedom to ride out of bounds, but at the same time is seriously concerned with your safety, please respect and follow Niseko Rules. The snow in the trees is good. Watch for a sudden change in the weather. Have a good day. --- Ski resort operation information: Sunday 30th December 2018 The below information is manually checked each morning and believed to be correct at time of report. Subject to change! Niseko Grand Hirafu Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 260cm - Base: 130cm Ski lifts operating: - All lifts apart from Ace Number 4 pair lift are normally operating - The Ace Family quad (until 8:30pm), Ace Center 4 quad (8:20pm), Hirafu Gondola (until 8:10pm) and Holiday Number 1 pair (until 8:30pm) lifts are normally open during the evening Niseko HANAZONO Resort Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 186cm - Base: 137cm Ski lifts operating: - All Hanazono lifts are normally operating - The Hanazono lifts are normally open until 3:30pm Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Courses: - All official courses are now available ----- Niseko Annupuri Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 200cm - Base: 110cm Ski lifts operating: - All Annupuri lifts are normally operating - The Jumbo 1 lift is normally open until 8:30pm during the evening ----- Niseko Village Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 220cm - Base: 120cm Ski lifts operating: - All lifts apart from the Country Road Chair are normally operating - The Upper Village Gondola, Village Express and Banzai Chair lifts are normally open until 8:00pm during the evening Niseko Now 2018-2019 season Data as of Sunday 30th December 2018 Total snowfall at base so far 406cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 33 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 32cm (29th December) November 2018 snowfall 84cm reported on 8 days December 2018 snowfall 322cm reported on 25 days Previous report Next report 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. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 32cm Snowfall at base this season 389cm Posted on Saturday 29th December 2018 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here My oh my! It has been snowing pretty much since I last wrote my report yesterday and I have 32cm of fresh snowfall on the ground to report to you - with more on the way. The Avalanche Report is reporting 50cm. Loads of lovely fresh snow. Wind affected some lifts during the day yesterday - including the Niseko Gondola at Niseko Village at times - and today wind may well play a part in proceedings. We are starting the day with all planned lifts moving though. I have also noticed that Niseko Grand Hirafu have their King Number 2 quad moving... probably to cope with the busy New Year period. Without wanting to sound like a cheesy marketing brochure, it really is going to be deep out - and real care is needed. (Both on and off the slopes!) This kind of snowfall can get somewhat overwhelming and it is of course natural to get super excited about it all, but it brings its own dangers. So please do take care whilst enjoying it all. --- Even knowing all of the reasons why official snow depths don't reflect exact how much snow has fallen (compression, grooming, etc), the official base snow depth numbers do seem rather low. But hey, they're just numbers again! --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Mountain Base 6.00am: -7°, 50cm new snow in the last 24 hrs, fine. Moiwa 800m: -12°, NNW10m/s, 50cm new snow, snowdrift and cornice development. Coastal data: Benkei Cape: NNW14m/s. Kamui Cape: WSW10m/s, 1006hPa, wave 3.4m. Niseko Village Mizuno no Sawa 1000m: -11.32°, WNW10.8m/s(max). Hirafu Peak inaccessible due to deep snow, -14°, N10m/s. Annupuri 1120m: snow depth 160cm. Kutchan Weather Station: snow depth 103cm. The isobars are moving further apart and lots of snow has fallen. Due to the strong wind the snow deposition has been inconsistent and is fracturing in the upper 40cm. There is about 100cm of new snow over the Dec 27th layer which is slowly compacting to form slabs. Avalanche risk on steep south facing slopes and knolls is especially high due to solar radiation. Do not enter strictly off limits areas like Yuno Sawa and Haru no Taki. Please respect Niseko Rules. The snow in the trees is good but it is very deep. Don't go too far from the resorts, you might not be able to get back. Do not stand on cornices, if the falls it will be big. Have a good day. --- Ski resort operation information: Saturday 29th December 2018 The below information is manually checked each morning and believed to be correct at time of report. Subject to change! Niseko Grand Hirafu Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 255cm - Base: 125cm Ski lifts operating: - All lifts apart from Ace Number 4 pair lift are normally operating - The Ace Family quad (until 8:30pm), Ace Center 4 quad (8:20pm), Hirafu Gondola (until 8:10pm) and Holiday Number 1 pair (until 8:30pm) lifts are normally open during the evening Niseko HANAZONO Resort Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 165cm - Base: 135cm Ski lifts operating: - All Hanazono lifts are normally operating - The Hanazono lifts are normally open until 3:30pm Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Courses: - All official courses are now available ----- Niseko Annupuri Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 200cm - Base: 110cm Ski lifts operating: - All Annupuri lifts are normally operating - The Jumbo 1 lift is normally open until 8:30pm during the evening ----- Niseko Village Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 210cm - Base: 110cm Ski lifts operating: - All lifts apart from the Country Road Chair are normally operating - The Upper Village Gondola, Village Express and Banzai Chair lifts are normally open until 8:00pm during the evening Niseko Now 2018-2019 season Data as of Saturday 29th December 2018 Total snowfall at base so far 389cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 32 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 32cm (29th December) November 2018 snowfall 84cm reported on 8 days December 2018 snowfall 305cm reported on 24 days Previous report Next report 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. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 26cm Snowfall at base this season 357cm Posted on Friday 28th December 2018 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here And a very good morning to you all from here in Niseko. Not wanting to lose out to areas of Honshu that finally seem to be getting dumped on - very pleased to see that - I can add another 26cm of fresh snow from here by my Hirafu base. And to think, there'll be more than that higher up on the mountain. Snow conditions should be excellent this morning. It is also very cold and rather windy - be prepared - and with limited visibility, know where you're going. Now that Christmas is over and Santa has enjoyed his last piece of toast before moving on, New Year is the next big holiday. In Japan, of course, New Year is a much bigger event than Christmas and with the many visitors from overseas it is going to be very busy. With regular fresh top-ups of snow on the forecast into next week, we are going to end the year in style. With the 26cm from today, my total observed snowfall for the month of December 2018 goes up to 273cm and the total for the season so far up to 357cm. Last season by the end of December I had observed a Niseko-tastic 594cm for the season so far. While that is out of reach, perhaps we can beat my observed December 2017 snowfall of 406cm. 49cm in the last three reports of the year? Very possible. I know, I know, it's just a number - but I like looking at the numbers. So let me have my fun! --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Mountain Base 6.00am: -10°, 20cm new snow in the last 12 hrs, snowdrift development, mild blizzard. Moiwa 800m: -13°, 50cm snowdrift and cornice development. Hirafu Peak -16°, N16m/s, 30cm wind packed snow. Niseko Village Mizuno no Sawa -14°, NW16.9m/s, cornice and snow drift development. Kutchan Weather Station snow depth 94cm, -8.4°. Coastal data: Benkei Cape: N17m/s. Kamui Cape: NW13m/s, 1003hPa, wave 3.1m. A snow wind continues above 800m with unstable cornice and snowdrift development. Knolls under ridgelines and open 40deg slopes, the avalanche risk is high. From observation at 800m Moiwa Bowl, there is major cornice growth fracturing at up to 100cm depth. Do not stimulate cornices or knolls or ride and wait in the valley bottom. Snow is good in the trees, deep and heavy. Always be aware of risks when riding. Avalanches hit you from behind. Gate openings are not yet decided. Please listen to the patrols advice. With care you can avoid accidents. Do not enter Haru no Taki, even by mistake. Beware frostbite. Have a good day. --- Ski resort operation information: Friday 28th December 2018 The below information is manually checked each morning and believed to be correct at time of report. Subject to change! ** SOME LIFTS AFFECTED BY WIND EARLY THIS MORNING - SEE ABOVE ** Niseko Grand Hirafu Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 230cm - Base: 160cm Ski lifts operating: - All lifts apart from Ace Number 4 pair lift and King Number 2 quad lifts are normally operating - The Ace Family quad (until 8:30pm), Ace Center 4 quad (8:20pm), Hirafu Gondola (until 8:10pm) and Holiday Number 1 pair (until 8:30pm) lifts are normally open during the evening Niseko HANAZONO Resort Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 150cm - Base: 96cm Ski lifts operating: - All Hanazono lifts are normally operating - The Hanazono lifts are normally open until 3:30pm Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Courses: - All official courses are now available ----- Niseko Annupuri Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 180cm - Base: 90cm Ski lifts operating: - All Annupuri lifts are normally operating - The Jumbo 1 lift is normally open until 8:30pm during the evening ----- Niseko Village Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 190cm - Base: 100cm Ski lifts operating: - All lifts apart from Morino Chair and Country Road Chair are normally operating - The Upper Village Gondola, Village Express and Banzai Chair lifts are normally open until 8:00pm during the evening Niseko Now 2018-2019 season Data as of Friday 28th December 2018 Total snowfall at base so far 357cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 31 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 26cm (28th December) November 2018 snowfall 84cm reported on 8 days December 2018 snowfall 273cm reported on 23 days Previous report Next report 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. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 12cm Snowfall at base this season 331cm Posted on Thursday 27th December 2018 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here I can't see much of anything out of my window this morning! Poor visibility, very cold temperatures and rather windy conditions this morning and as the first lifts get moving for the day I can see that the top lifts at Hirafu, Village and Annupuri - as well as the Annupuri Gondola - are not going to be able to open as planned at the start of the day. So yes it is snowing and I have just measured 12cm of fresh snow on the ground here by my Hirafu base. I am guessing there is going to be more (or less) in places due to the wind, but that's my measurement. Once again it is really good nice light quality too. The forecasts remain snowy so there are going to be regular top-ups to fill in tracks. It seems that access to some of the top gates should be happening pretty soon with lots of preparation going on. Perhaps once this particular storm passes? Just a bit more patience required. All very exciting. Have fun and take care. ----- May I suggest checking out the report from Myoko (in Niigata) yesterday; I know what my colleague is saying. Myoko Now: 26th December report And by the way, some of you may well just read this Niseko Now report, but I highly recommend checking out some of the other ones on SnowJapan. I read them all every day, even areas I have never been to. It's great to keep up to date on what is happening around Japan. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6am: -10℃, 20cm snowfall with developing snowdrifts, stormy. Moiwa800m: W15m/s, 20cm, developing cornices and snowdrifts. Mikaeri junction: 50-100cm snowdrifts. Coastal data Benkei cape: NW20m/s, Kamui cape: W15m/s, 1006hPa, 2.5m waves. Hirafu peak: -17℃, NW20m/s, snowdrifts developing. Niseko Village Mizuno no Sawa 1000m: W16.3m/s, -15.29℃, Ktutchan town snowdepth: 84cm. A strong westerly wind is blowing above 800m elevation. The snowdrifts and cornices development is large and very unstable. The avalanche risk is high today. All peak chairs operation is pending. Do not duck ropes into strictly off-limits areas. Better not stimulate knoll terrains within the boundaries as they are equally unstable. Very hazardous conditions today. The opening of gate 6 is still pending, please follow the ski patrol’s instructions. We’re finally getting a decent amount of snow, however creeks are yet to be fully buried. Better not venture out too far without proper equipment. Rescue operations will take a long time. Many of the avalanche accidents occur during and just after storms. The dense wind-affected snow in the trees is in great conditions. Wearing a helmet is strongly recommended. Have a great day. --- Ski resort operation information: Thursday 27th December 2018 The below information is manually checked each morning and believed to be correct at time of report. Subject to change! ** SOME LIFTS AFFECTED BY WIND EARLY THIS MORNING - SEE ABOVE ** Niseko Grand Hirafu Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 215cm - Base: 95cm Ski lifts operating: - All lifts apart from Ace Number 4 pair lift and King Number 2 quad lifts are normally operating - The Ace Family quad (until 8:30pm), Ace Center 4 quad (8:20pm), Hirafu Gondola (until 8:10pm) and Holiday Number 1 pair (until 8:30pm) lifts are normally open during the evening Niseko HANAZONO Resort Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 153cm - Base: 96cm Ski lifts operating: - All Hanazono lifts are normally operating - The Hanazono lifts are normally open until 3:30pm Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Courses: - All official courses are now available ----- Niseko Annupuri Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 180cm - Base: 90cm Ski lifts operating: - All Annupuri lifts are normally operating - The Jumbo 1 lift is normally open until 8:30pm during the evening ----- Niseko Village Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 190cm - Base: 100cm Ski lifts operating: - All lifts apart from Morino Chair and Country Road Chair are normally operating - The Upper Village Gondola, Village Express and Banzai Chair lifts are normally open until 8:00pm during the evening Niseko Now 2018-2019 season Data as of Thursday 27th December 2018 Total snowfall at base so far 331cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 30 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 25cm (23rd November and 14th December) November 2018 snowfall 84cm reported on 8 days December 2018 snowfall 247cm reported on 22 days Previous report Next report 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. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 13cm Snowfall at base this season 319cm Posted on Wednesday 26th December 2018 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Good morning. And for your present this morning - 13cm of lovely quality light snow. Really nice quality. It is cold this morning, but set to get colder still. Lots of cloud around but thin in places with a few areas of blue sky to be seen at times. The forecast remains good for consistent snowfall to continue through the coming weekend as well; with some spells of heavier snowfall so I hope that my cunning plan to bring you decent numbers (of fresh snowfall) each day through the end of the year can be pulled off. I think that's about it from me this morning. So I will see you tomorrow. ----- Niseko Avalanche Report Niseko base 6am: -3℃, 10cm snowfall in 12 hours and snowing. Moiwa800m: -4℃, NNW12m/s, 15cm snowfall, light storm with snowdrifts. Mikaeri Junction: -5℃, N10m/s, 20cm snowfall with snowdrifts, 180cm snowpack. Sea of Japan Benkei cape: N11m/s, Kamui cape: WNW8m/s, 1014hPa, 1.5m waves. Hirafu peak-9℃, N15m/s, swowdrifts developing. Kutchan town snowpack 73cm. Although the snow depth in lower elevation is still not enough (about 70cm), gate 4 & 6 are being prepared to open soon. Avalanche control has begun in Mizuno no sawa and 50cm slides from Dec 23rd layer has been observed. 2 poachers already got caught in Mizuno no sawa. It is mandatory to have everyone follow the rules in order to keep Niseko’s freedom to ride out of bounds. Better not forget the accident that happened two seasons ago. The bushes are still thick and creeks are yet to be buried in the off piste area below 800m elevation. The snow condition in the tree runs is very good, however still not plenty. Remain prudent of obstacles. Once the next storm passes, the conditions will ameliorate. The wind and snow has already started to pick up above 1000m elevation and Mizuno no sawa area. Have a great day. --- Ski resort operation information: Wednesday 26th December 2018 The below information is manually checked each morning and believed to be correct at time of report. Subject to change! Niseko Grand Hirafu Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 210cm - Base: 95cm Ski lifts operating: - All lifts apart from Ace Number 4 pair lift and King Number 2 quad lifts are operating Niseko HANAZONO Resort Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 150cm - Base: 103cm Ski lifts operating: - All Hanazono lifts are operating Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Courses: - All courses are now open ----- Niseko Annupuri Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 170cm - Base: 90cm Ski lifts operating: - All Annupuri lifts are operating ----- Niseko Village Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 180cm - Base: 95cm Ski lifts operating: - All lifts apart from Morino Chair and Country Road Chair are operating Niseko Now 2018-2019 season Data as of Wednesday 26th December 2018 Total snowfall at base so far 319cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 29 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 25cm (23rd November and 14th December) November 2018 snowfall 84cm reported on 8 days December 2018 snowfall 235cm reported on 21 days Previous report Next report 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. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 6cm Snowfall at base this season 306cm Posted on Tuesday 25th December 2018 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Good morning everyone and... Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas! (Or am I too late - some Christmas trees will probably be taken down by the time you read this Christmas morning report!) It was a rather windy day yesterday and I believe it affected some lift operations. All lifts appear to be starting the day as planned this morning. I am measuring 6cm of fresh snow on the ground this morning and light snow has been falling. There are a few areas where the clouds are thinner and look like might even be clearing a little. Hirafu have added 15cm to their peak snow depth, and while the movement of those numbers often does not reflect the actual amount of fresh snow falling for various reasons, it is of course very reasonable to expect more up there than down here at base areas. The forecast for the coming week is still looking... very snowy, and I am officially excited. I'll leave you now and hope that you all have a fun and safe day. ----- "Don’t let your selfish actions ruin other visitors holidays" (Avalanche Report below) I find it rather sad that such a comment/request needs to be said. But alas it sometimes does. ----- Niseko Avalanche Report Mountain Base 6.00am: -5°, 10cm new snow in the last 12 hrs, snowdrift development in some areas. Moiwa 800m: -10°, W8m/s, 15cm new snow, snow drift development. Mikaeri: 15cm new snow, snowdrift development. Hirafu peak ridge line: -12°, NNW10m/s, snowdrift development on leeward slopes, snow depth 180cm, 700m snow depth 70cm. Kutchan Weather Station: snow depth 70cm. Coastal data: Benkei Cape: NW13m/s. Kamui Cape: W10m/s, 1018hPa, wave 2.7m. The isobars are starting to spread out and the wind is beginning to drop. Above 800m new cornice and snowdrift development are starting to stabilise. The risk of avalanche is starting to fall but cornices are still collapsing easily, take care. There is only a little new snow in the trees but it is good. The bamboo on leeward slopes around 800m is starting to get buried, but there still isn’t enough snow in lower areas. We are aiming to get Moiwa gate 6 and Fujiwara gate 4 open before the end of the month. Please be patient. Niseko Rules exist to protect your freedom to ride out of bounds to a minimum level of safety. Do not disregard the rules to ride out of bounds. These areas are not managed and many natural hazards exist. Many people are coming to Niseko, don’t let your selfish actions ruin other visitors holidays. The morning groomers are fantastic, have a good day. --- Ski resort operation information: Tuesday 25th December 2018 The below information is manually checked each morning and believed to be correct at time of report. Subject to change! Niseko Grand Hirafu Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 210cm - Base: 95cm Ski lifts operating: - All lifts apart from Ace Number 4 pair lift and King Number 2 quad lifts are operating Niseko HANAZONO Resort Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 140cm - Base: 95cm Ski lifts operating: - All Hanazono lifts are operating Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Courses: - All courses are now open ----- Niseko Annupuri Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 170cm - Base: 90cm Ski lifts operating: - All Annupuri lifts are operating ----- Niseko Village Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 180cm - Base: 95cm Ski lifts operating: - All lifts apart from Morino Chair and Country Road Chair are operating Niseko Now 2018-2019 season Data as of Tuesday 25th December 2018 Total snowfall at base so far 306cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 28 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 25cm (23rd November and 14th December) November 2018 snowfall 84cm reported on 8 days December 2018 snowfall 222cm reported on 20 days Previous report Next report 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. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 7cm Snowfall at base this season 300cm Posted on Monday 24th December 2018 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Ho ho ho! It's Christmas! Well, that's what some people are telling me. I'm sure back home it used to be on the 25th December; I have perhaps been here in Japan for too long. Anyway, I'll do the same tomorrow so we get double Christmas. Anyone spot Santa-san on the slopes yesterday? I saw a few 'Fake' Santa-san out at a restaurant last night. Naughty! OK serious hat on. I have measured 7cm of fresh snow on the ground this morning and it is most definitely feeling colder. Not a massive amount but it looks good quality stuff. Light snow has been falling though it's not just right now. Lots of cloud around and even a few areas where they look like they are breaking up - but generally cloud and light snow appears to be the forecast for the day. It looks like there's some serious snow on the way from the second half of the week so we should be ending the year in style. Until today I have measured 216cm of snowfall in December 2018. I measured a total of 406cm during the whole of December last year. That might be a difficult number to chase, but let's give it a go! Have a fine day everyone. ----- Niseko Avalanche Report Mountain Base 6.00am: -7°, 10cm new snow in the last 12 hrs, currently snowing. Moiwa 800m: -11°, NW10m/s, 20cm new snow, snow drift development, mild blizzard. Hirafu peak ridge line: -14°, N15m/s, 15cm new snow, small amount snowdrift development. Coastal data: Benkei Cape: NNW12m/s. Kamui Cape: WNW11m/s, 1013hPa, wave 1.9m. The weather has changed to a typical winter weather pattern with an increase in cornice and snow drift development on the mountain. From observation and data, on leeward knolls and 40deg slopes around 1000m a 30cm slab(snowdrift) is fracturing on 22-23 Dec layer. Above 1000m the avalanche risk is moderately high. The snow in the trees is good but with only 20-30cm you are still hitting bottom, so be careful hitting unseen undulations and old tracks. Visibility is poor in low light. Although the snow depth is increasing there still isn’t enough snowpack for the resorts to open access to ride out of bounds. Do not duck ropes to go out of bounds. All it takes is one person to duck the ropes making a track, then others follow, increasing the chance of an accident. Be careful of frostbite. Have a good day. --- Ski resort operation information: Monday 24th December 2018 The below information is manually checked each morning and believed to be correct at time of report. Subject to change! Niseko Grand Hirafu Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 195cm - Base: 90cm Ski lifts operating: - All lifts apart from Ace Number 4 pair lift and King Number 2 quad lifts are operating Niseko HANAZONO Resort Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 132cm - Base: 90cm Ski lifts operating: - All Hanazono lifts are operating Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Courses: - All courses are now open ----- Niseko Annupuri Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 170cm - Base: 90cm Ski lifts operating: - All Annupuri lifts are operating ----- Niseko Village Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 170cm - Base: 95cm Ski lifts operating: - All lifts apart from Morino Chair and Country Road Chair are operating Niseko Now 2018-2019 season Data as of Monday 24th December 2018 Total snowfall at base so far 300cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 27 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 25cm (23rd November and 14th December) November 2018 snowfall 84cm reported on 8 days December 2018 snowfall 216cm reported on 19 days Previous report Next report 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. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 9cm Snowfall at base this season 293cm Posted on Saturday 22nd December 2018 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Actually rather pleased to be able to report 9cm of fresh snowfall on the ground from overnight. The big news is that from this morning the top lifts at Niseko Annupuri and Niseko Village, as well as the top King Number 4 lift at Niseko Grand Hirafu, are open. (Ace Number 4 pair lift not yet). Hurray! And it looks to me like pretty much all courses are now open and available. It's always great to be able to say that. (Though please note that top gates are not). And once we get past this rather mild weekend, there's lots more snow lined up in the coming week. Still, like today, mild in Niseko sometimes means that it is snowing. Yes, I really love being here. ----- Niseko Avalanche Report Niseko base 6am: -1℃, 15cm snowfall in 12 hours, snowing. Moiwa 800m: -2℃, light breeze, 20cm snowfall, snowing and 500m visibility. Mikaeri junction 750m: -2℃, W5m/s, 20cm snowfall, 190cm snowpack, no snowdrift development and snowing. Coastal data Bekei cape: SW3m/s, Kamui cape: SSW7m/s, 1017hPa, 0.7m waves. Hirafu ridgeline 1250m: -3℃, 15cm snowfall, light wind. Annupuri 1000m: 180cm snowpack, light wind and calm. The isobars are spread out and the mountain/ocean weather is calm. A small low-pressure system delivered a bit of snowfall overnight. The mountain is blanketed in new snow and this layer will form a prominent Dec 22nd layer in the future snowpack. The general avalanche risk low for today. The peak chairs will start operating from today. The snowpack is still shallow. Some rocks are still to be expected on-piste above 1000m. Bushes are also still present in 900m elevation areas. Please use caution. Access gates and the peak is yet to open, but is in working process. Please allow a little more time. Remember that the Niseko Rules are key to keep the freedom and safety of Niseko’s out of bounds riding. Please refrain from ducking ropes to go out of bounds. The groomers’ condition is really good. Respect the Rules and have a great day. Pray for snow! --- Ski resort operation information: Saturday 22nd December 2018 The below information is manually checked each morning and believed to be correct at time of report Niseko Grand Hirafu Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 200cm - Base: 90cm Ski lifts operating: - All lifts apart from Ace Number 4 pair lift and King Number 2 quad lifts are operating Niseko HANAZONO Resort Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 133cm - Base: 90cm Ski lifts operating: - All Hanazono lifts are operating Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Courses: - All courses ----- Niseko Annupuri Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 170cm - Base: 90cm Ski lifts operating: - All lifts planned to be operating ----- Niseko Village Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 170cm - Base: 95cm Ski lifts operating: - All lifts apart from Morino Chair and Country Road Chair operating Niseko Now 2018-2019 season Data as of Saturday 22nd December 2018 Total snowfall at base so far 293cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 26 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 25cm (23rd November and 14th December) November 2018 snowfall 84cm reported on 8 days December 2018 snowfall 209cm reported on 18 days Previous report Next report 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. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 8cm Snowfall at base this season 284cm Posted on Thursday 20th December 2018 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Good morning everyone from secret base here by Hirafu. It was rather windy yesterday - when I last checked the Annupuri Gondola was on hold as well as their top lift with the Niseko Gondola and top Hanazono lifts also running at reduced speed. And it looks like the Annupuri Gondola is on hold again at the start of the day today There's 8cm of fresh snowfall on the ground this morning and it looks nicer quality than what I reported yesterday. Just a quick word on that --- when I give an opinion about 'snow quality', I'm thinking purely of the Niseko scale. By that, I mean that I am not comparing the snow to the quality of snow you might expect in Australia or Canada or Austria or indeed anywhere else. I'm comparing it to what I have come to expect and experience here in Niseko. Often times I hear people say things along the lines of 'even relatively poor snow quality in Niseko is better than the best snow in *Insert other resort/country here*'. Which may well be true, BUT that's not my comparison. Hope that makes sense. It is colder this morning too and feels it. Fairly calm conditions are expected now through the weekend so we probably can't expect much in terms of fresh snowfall over the next few reports. It does seem that Japan is going to generally see some milder conditions, hopefully before taking a drop back down again early week. Busy becomes busier every day now it seems. Lots of people coming here for their Christmas holidays. And I hope that you all have a very jolly good one. --- Niseko Avalanche Report Mountain Base 6.00am: -5°, 15cm new snowfall in the last 12 hrs. Moiwa 800m: 5am -6°, NW10m/s, cornice and snowdrift development, 15cm new snowfall in the last 12 hrs. Mikaeri Ridge N10m/s, snow depth 120cm. Annupuri 1000m 2pm yesterday: -7°, S23m/s. Coastal data: Benkei Cape: NNW15m/s. Kamui Cape: W10m/s, 1012hPa, wave 3.5m. The atmospheric pressure gradient is starting to flatten and the blizzard is calming. Snow wind over the last 24hrs has caused snowdrift and cornice development. From 5am observation Moiwa peak, 800m, snowdrifts are fracturing on a definite layer and cornices are breaking easily. Kozan no sawa south face 1000m and Osawa 1000m, avalanche risk is high this morning. Although only a small amount of snow has fallen, cornices are breaking easily which could trigger an avalanche on steeper slopes below. Take care. The snow in the trees is good but still shallow. Be careful falling into creeks, the water is cold. Out of bounds area are still not ready for riding. Don't over estimate your skills, knowledge or equipment. This can cause accidents. Please respect Niseko Rules. --- Ski resort operation information: Thursday 20th December 2018 The below information is manually checked each morning and believed to be correct at time of report Niseko Grand Hirafu Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 200cm - Base: 90cm Ski lifts operating: - Ace Family quad (until 8:30pm) - Ace Number 2 Center Four (until 8:20pm) - Ace Number 3 pair (until 3:30pm) - Hirafu Gondola (until 8:10pm) - Holiday Number 1 Pair (until 8:30pm) - King Number 3 quad (until 3:30pm) - Swinging Monkey (until 3:00pm) Niseko HANAZONO Resort Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 140cm - Base: 97cm Ski lifts operating: - Hanazono Number 1 quad (until 3:30pm) - Hanazono Number 2 quad (until 3:30pm) - Hanazono Number 3 quad (until 3:00pm) Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Courses: - All courses apart from the below courses are now open - Large - Dynamic ----- Niseko Annupuri Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 170cm - Base: 90cm Ski lifts operating: - Annupuri Gondola (until 3:15pm) ** ON HOLD AT START OF DAY ** - Dream Number 1 quad (until 5:30pm) - Jumbo Number 1 quad (until 8:30pm) - Jumbo Number 2 pair (until 3:15pm) - Jumbo Number 3 pair (until 3:15pm) Courses: - Utopia - Silver - Shirakaba - Paradise - Family - Junior - Dynamic ----- Niseko Village Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 170cm - Base: 95cm Ski lifts operating: - Niseko Gondola (until 3:00pm) - Upper Village Gondola (until 8:00pm) - Village Express (until 8:00pm) - Community Chair (until 4:30pm) - Banzai Chair (until 8:00pm) Niseko Now 2018-2019 season Data as of Thursday 20th December 2018 Total snowfall at base so far 284cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 25 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 25cm (23rd November and 14th December) November 2018 snowfall 84cm reported on 8 days December 2018 snowfall 200cm reported on 17 days Previous report Next report 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. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 12cm Snowfall at base this season 276cm Posted on Wednesday 19th December 2018 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Some decent snowfall yesterday during the day, but it eased off overnight. Sounded like it was quite windy out there. The result - I am measuring 12cm of snow this morning. Again, not the best quality - bit on the wet side - but we're happy to have the snow continue coming in. It looks like Japan is going to be experiencing some warmer conditions as the weekend approaches. For us that means that temps might creep just over the zero level and hopefully not much more than that. There's still fairly regular snowfall lined up though. I have to post my report before the lifts open this morning; fairly strong westerly winds may be a factor today. Oh yes, the Miharashi course is open at Niseko Grand Hirafu from this morning - so just the top area remaining closed there now. --- Rudolph just got in touch to let me know that Santa-san will be on the slopes of Niseko Grand Hirafu on 23rd and 24th December. And he will even be giving out small presents to people he meets on the slopes. He is also going to be making time to be on the slopes over at Niseko Annupuri as well, on the 24th and 25th. Also complete with presents for children. Not exactly sure how he'll work out the split on the 24th, but... what a gent! Unconfirmed if he will also make an appearance at the other areas, but I suspect there is a chance that he might. --- Niseko Avalanche Report Mountain Base 6.00am: -3°, 10cm wet heavy snow with a little hail and wind overnight. Moiwa 800m: -4°, E10m/s, 20cm new snowdrift development. Hirafu 1000m strong NE wind, 10cm new snow, some snowdrift development within the ski area. Coastal data: Benkei Cape: WNW17m/s. Kamui Cape: WSW14m/s, 1007hPa, wave 2.9m. The atmospheric pressure gradient is steep over the Sea of Japan, with a high pressure south and low pressure north of here. Coastal temperatures are high. A strong westerly snow wind, around 20m/s, persists above 1100m causing cornice and snow drift development on leeward slopes. The avalanche risk is high above 1200m under leeward knolls and ridge lines. Mikaeri 800m the snow depth is 120cm but bamboo and bushes are still showing through. Many avalanche accidents by stimulating thick, heavy wind slabs that have developed rapidly during blizzard conditions. Take care on steep slopes where your ski or board does not float. There is good but heavy snow in the forest. Be careful crashing into trees though. Don't duck the ropes. The out of bounds areas are still not ready to ride. Have a good day. --- Ski resort operation information: Wednesday 19th December 2018 The below information is manually checked each morning and believed to be correct at time of report Niseko Grand Hirafu Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 195cm - Base: 95cm Ski lifts operating: - Ace Family quad (until 8:30pm) - Ace Number 2 Center Four (until 8:20pm) - Ace Number 3 pair (until 3:30pm) - Hirafu Gondola (until 8:10pm) - Holiday Number 1 Pair (until 8:30pm) - King Number 3 quad (until 3:30pm) - Swinging Monkey (until 3:00pm) Niseko HANAZONO Resort Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 135cm - Base: 95cm Ski lifts operating: - Hanazono Number 1 quad (until 3:30pm) - Hanazono Number 2 quad (until 3:30pm) - Hanazono Number 3 quad (until 3:00pm) Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Courses: - All courses apart from the below courses are now open - Large - Dynamic ----- Niseko Annupuri Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 160cm - Base: 90cm Ski lifts operating: - Annupuri Gondola (until 3:15pm) - Dream Number 1 quad (until 5:30pm) - Jumbo Number 1 quad (until 8:30pm) - Jumbo Number 2 pair (until 3:15pm) - Jumbo Number 3 pair (until 3:15pm) Courses: - Utopia - Silver - Shirakaba - Paradise - Family - Junior - Dynamic ----- Niseko Village Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 150cm - Base: 90cm Ski lifts operating: - Niseko Gondola (until 3:00pm) - Upper Village Gondola (until 8:00pm) - Village Express (until 8:00pm) - Community Chair (until 4:30pm) - Banzai Chair (until 8:00pm) Niseko Now 2018-2019 season Data as of Wednesday 19th December 2018 Total snowfall at base so far 276cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 24 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 25cm (23rd November and 14th December) November 2018 snowfall 84cm reported on 8 days December 2018 snowfall 192cm reported on 16 days Previous report Next report 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. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 4cm Snowfall at base this season 264cm Posted on Tuesday 18th December 2018 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here 4cm of fresh snowfall at base since yesterday and it is feeling colder; this fresh snow looks somewhat better quality than what we got yesterday which is good but I wouldn't expect conditions to be top quality - we need a thicker fresh layer for that. (Remember, that kind of comment is not meant in any way as a downer - I just only tell you when I think things are 'top quality' when they really, really are! Otherwise, there's no comparison is there, and it makes the comments useless). As we approach 8:30am there is some blue sky up there (see images below) as well as cloud hanging on, but we can expect the snow clouds to not be far away during the next few days. Anyway, look out for windy conditions today that may well affect lift operations. Apart from the Annupuri Gondola moving at slower speed it looks like lifts are starting the day as planned as of 8:30am. I just realised, I haven't had to mention wind so much yet this season. Still, it's early! Oh yes, one bit of course news from Niseko Grand Hirafu - the Onsenzawa course is now open, so apart from the top area and Miharashi all areas of Hirafu are open during the daytime hours. --- It's good to see other parts of Japan getting some snow, though generally it does look like it has been a slow-ish start to the snow season country-wide. --- Niseko Avalanche Report Mountain Base 6.00am: -3°, light snowfall over last 12hrs. Moiwa 800m: -5°, W8m/s, 30cm new snowdrift growth, wind effected rippled snow surface, good visibility. Hirafu 1000m no data. Coastal data: Benkei Cape: NW14m/s. Kamui Cape: W10m/s, 1004hPa, wave 2.1m. We are currently under influence of a weak winter weather pattern with a NW snow wind blowing into the area causing a small amount of slow snowdrift growth, which when tested there is no obvious fracture. Around 1000m the avalanche risk is low. However, low elevation south facing off limits areas and under steep lift lines, shallow avalanches from the 15-16th layer are occurring easily. Bamboo and bushes are not buried yet, a little more time is needed before riding out of bounds will be ready. Don't duck the ropes. The snow conditions at low elevations is not so good but higher up, above 600m, the groomers are good. Be careful going fast and hitting a trees. This information is based on Niseko Rules and is published for the safety of all mountain users. The snow on the side of the runs is a bit catchy, beware unseen obstacles under the snow. Have a good day. --- Ski resort operation information: Tuesday 18th December 2018 The below information is manually checked each morning and believed to be correct at time of report Niseko Grand Hirafu Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 185cm - Base: 90cm Ski lifts operating: - Ace Family quad (until 8:30pm) - Ace Number 2 Center Four (until 8:20pm) - Ace Number 3 pair (until 3:30pm) - Hirafu Gondola (until 8:10pm) - Holiday Number 1 Pair (until 8:30pm) - King Number 3 quad (until 3:30pm) - Swinging Monkey (until 3:00pm) Niseko HANAZONO Resort Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 140cm - Base: 95cm Ski lifts operating: - Hanazono Number 1 quad (until 3:30pm) - Hanazono Number 2 quad (until 3:30pm) - Hanazono Number 3 quad (until 3:00pm) Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Courses: - All courses apart from the below courses are now open - Large - Miharashi - Dynamic ----- Niseko Annupuri Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 160cm - Base: 90cm Ski lifts operating: - Annupuri Gondola (until 3:15pm) - Dream Number 1 quad (until 5:30pm) - Jumbo Number 1 quad (until 8:30pm) - Jumbo Number 2 pair (until 3:15pm) - Jumbo Number 3 pair (until 3:15pm) Courses: - Utopia - Silver - Shirakaba - Paradise - Family - Junior - Dynamic ----- Niseko Village Official snow depth (reported by resort): - Peak: 150cm - Base: 90cm Ski lifts operating: - Niseko Gondola (until 3:00pm) - Upper Village Gondola (until 8:00pm) - Village Express (until 8:00pm) - Community Chair (until 4:30pm) - Banzai Chair (until 8:00pm) Niseko Now 2018-2019 season Data as of Tuesday 18th December 2018 Total snowfall at base so far 264cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 23 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 25cm (23rd November and 14th December) November 2018 snowfall 84cm reported on 8 days December 2018 snowfall 180cm reported on 15 days Previous report Next report All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Kutchan/Niseko. 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