Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 2cm Snowfall at base this season 668cm Posted on Saturday 11th March 2017 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Morning everyone - another weekend! I have 2cm of fresh snowfall to report to you this morning on the ground here at base. It's a beautiful crisp morning. The clouds have for the most part disappeared, though Mt Yotei appears to be wearing a white cloud beanie early on (and looking rather charming for it too). But it's mainly lovely blue skies all around and bright sunshine. A beautiful morning. All areas ready to go. Who wouldn't want to be out there skiing or snowboarding this morning. --- Official resort snow depths as of Saturday 11th March 2017: Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Top - 355cm Base - 150cm Niseko Village Top - 315cm Base - 140cm Niseko Annupuri Top - 315cm Base - 160cm --- Night skiing is planned until Monday 20th March 2017 at the Niseko Annupuri, Niseko Grand Hirafu and Niseko Village resort areas. There is no nighta in the Hanazono area. Niseko Now 2016-2017 season Data as of Saturday 11th March 2017 Total snowfall at base so far 668cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 79 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 36cm (16th December) November 2016 snowfall 110cm reported on 14 days December 2016 snowfall 181cm reported on 22 days January 2017 snowfall 152cm reported on 18 days February 2017 snowfall 160cm reported on 19 days March 2017 snowfall 65cm reported on 6 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 0cm Snowfall at base this season 668cm Posted on Friday 17th March 2017 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Morning folks! And how are you on this lovely Friday morning. All Friday mornings are lovely, aren't they? As you may well know, Monday is 'Vernal Equinox Day' or spring equinox - and a national holiday. That makes this coming weekend a three day long weekend. I'm sure that won't make much difference with overseas visitors, but there'll probably/maybe be more of the local crowd out on the slopes. Things often get just that bit quieter after this holiday also. Anyway, so what's happening this morning? Well, there's a dusting of snow on the ground here at base - very much a thin dusting, so no new cm. The Avalanche Report is also reporting just track snow from it's measuring points. The sun is out and there's lots of blue sky with some cloud. So yes, a lovely Friday morning. The forecast isn't showing much sign of snowfall so perhaps we should expect none and just be pleasantly surprised if and when we do get some. As things stand we are expecting generally fine conditions over the weekend. --- Oh yes, I just noticed, nighta finishes on Monday. So 4 more days of nighta. (That sounds kind of odd!) --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Mountain base : -2°, trace new snow. Moiwa 800m: -4.2°, NW3.3m/s, trace no new snow. Annupuri 1150m: -6°, NNW7m/s, trace new snow. Hirafu 1250m, -7°, light winds, no new snow. Coastal data: Kamui Cape: light winds, 1017hPa, wave 1.1m. With no new snow for the last 5 days snow conditions on the mountain can be described as hard. From observation general avalanche risk is low. All gates are expected to be open. Snow conditions will get softer as temperature rises during the day and riding will get better. With the temperature rising the avalanche risk also increases. Cornices collapsing can start block avalanches, in steeper cliff areas where the snowpack is tending to creep and crack, full depth avalanches are also a possibility. Do not wait in valley bottoms or at the bottom of steep slopes. Do not enter south facing strictly off limits areas. Always follow Niseko Rules to ensure your continued freedom to ride out of bounds. --- Official resort snow depths as of Friday 17th March 2017: Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Top - 335cm Base - 135cm Niseko Village Top - 315cm Base - 140cm Niseko Annupuri Top - 315cm Base - 155cm --- Night skiing is planned until Monday 20th March 2017 at the Niseko Annupuri, Niseko Grand Hirafu and Niseko Village resort areas. There is no nighta in the Hanazono area. Planned closing dates Niseko Grand Hirafu plans to be open daily until Sunday 7th May. Niseko Hanazono plans to be open daily until Sunday 2nd April. Niseko Village plans to be open daily until Sunday 2nd April (and then from 28th April until 7th May). Niseko Annupuri plans to be open daily until Sunday 7th May. Niseko Now 2016-2017 season Data as of Friday 17th March 2017 Total snowfall at base so far 668cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 79 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 36cm (16th December) November 2016 snowfall 110cm reported on 14 days December 2016 snowfall 181cm reported on 22 days January 2017 snowfall 152cm reported on 18 days February 2017 snowfall 160cm reported on 19 days March 2017 snowfall 65cm reported on 6 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 674cm Posted on Wednesday 22nd March 2017 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Fresh snow! Hurray! Oh I love snow so much. It's brilliant. Even when it's a bit wetter than the peak season variety. But, yes, back to my report and the snow started falling yesterday evening, giving me 6cm to report to you from base here this morning. Perhaps we will get more over the next few days though it does not seem to be a full-on kind of thing - more, a bit here and there. We are heading into late March, after all. Earlier snowfall has stopped at the moment (here at base anyway, it may still be snowing higher up) and the temperature is slightly over zero. It even looks like the sun might be trying to get in on the action in some places. Still, the forecast for the daytime today is generally 'cloudy' with the snow falling again tonight. Bit of a wind affecting a few top lifts. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Mountain base : -2°, 8cm wet new snow. Moiwa 800m: -3.7°, W3-10m/s, 5cm new snow, minor snowdrift development. Annupuri 1150m: -7°, 11Wm/s, 10cm wet new snow. Hirafu 1250m, -6°, W5m/s, 5cm new snow. Coastal data: Kamui Cape: WNW9m/s, 1006hPa, wave 2.3m. The passing low pressure system has dropped 5-10cm wet snow with minor snowdrift development on leeward slopes. From observation, shallow surface avalanches can easily be triggered by rider stimulation on steep(40deg) slopes. Be aware. Fracture layer is from March 21 and probability of fracture is dependent on elevation and slope orientation. Deeper layers in the snowpack appear stable, however south facing slopes around 800m the risk of full depth avalanches is high. Do not enter south facing strictly off limits areas. Everything is covered with a shallow layer of wet snow today, mellow terrain in the trees should be good. All gates are expected to be open. Please listen to the patrols advice before going out of bounds. People have been demanding that we strengthen Niseko Rules to avoid accidents in the future. Although the current rules are not perfect they do a good job protecting your freedom to ride most of the mountain while keeping accidents to a minimum. We believe less rules the better and ask everyone to understand and follow the existing Niseko Rules to maintain your current freedoms and show stricter measures are not needed. Have a good day. --- Official resort snow depths as of Wednesday 22nd March 2017: Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Top - 325cm Base - 130cm Niseko Village Top - 300cm Base - 140cm Niseko Annupuri Top - 290cm Base - 130cm --- Planned closing dates Niseko Grand Hirafu plans to be open daily until Sunday 7th May. Niseko Hanazono plans to be open daily until Sunday 2nd April. Niseko Village plans to be open daily until Sunday 2nd April (and then from 28th April until 7th May). Niseko Annupuri plans to be open daily until Sunday 7th May. Night time floodlit operations have now finished for the season. Niseko Now 2016-2017 season Data as of Wednesday 22nd March 2017 Total snowfall at base so far 674cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 80 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 36cm (16th December) November 2016 snowfall 110cm reported on 14 days December 2016 snowfall 181cm reported on 22 days January 2017 snowfall 152cm reported on 18 days February 2017 snowfall 160cm reported on 19 days March 2017 snowfall 71cm reported on 7 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 2cm Snowfall at base this season 676cm Posted on Thursday 23rd March 2017 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here I have 2cm more fresh snow to report since my last report here near Hirafu base. There's still a fair bit of cloud around at the moment, but lots of blue sky too and the sun is shining through my windows. It feels like it should be a fine day, though there's still the chance of snowfall there on the forecast through until tomorrow. I need to get myself over to Sapporo today and so the report is going up before resorts open, but I would imagine them opening as planned come 8:30am. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Mountain base : -2°, 5cm new snow. Moiwa 800m: -5.6°, W10m/s, 40cm snowdrift development. Annupuri 1150m: -9°, W15m/s, 50cm snowdrift development, snowpack 230cm. Hirafu 1250m, -7°, NW10m/s, snowdrift development. Coastal data: Kamui Cape: NNE7m/s, 1011hPa, wave 2.0m, Benkei Cape NNW11m/s. The small low pressure system is still hanging around with strong winds at higher elevations and snow fall mixed with graupel. Above 800m elevation wind is over 10m/s and snow drift growth on leeward slopes and knolls has been up to 50cm. From observation, avalanche conditions are unstable. All gates are expected to be open dependent on lift operations. The mountain has returned to winter conditions. Kozen no sawa sidewall, Osawa cornice face around 1000m and Higashi One cornice slope, the avalanche risk is high due to snowdrift growth over the last day. Avoid riding these areas. In south facing strictly off limits areas surface slab avalanches will easily occur, fracturing on Mar 21 layer. Never enter these areas. Below 800m the snow in the trees is reset, but you are still hitting the bottom. Be careful loosing control and hitting obstacles. Pay attention to holes and cracks covered with new snow. This information is issued to prevent accidents out of bounds. Have a safe day. . --- Official resort snow depths as of Thursday 23rd March 2017: Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Top - 330cm Base - 125cm Niseko Village Top - 295cm Base - 130cm Niseko Annupuri Top - 295cm Base - 130cm --- Planned closing dates Niseko Grand Hirafu plans to be open daily until Sunday 7th May. Niseko Hanazono plans to be open daily until Sunday 2nd April. Niseko Village plans to be open daily until Sunday 2nd April (and then from 28th April until 7th May). Niseko Annupuri plans to be open daily until Sunday 7th May. Night time floodlit operations have now finished for the season. Niseko Now 2016-2017 season Data as of Thursday 23rd March 2017 Total snowfall at base so far 676cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 81 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 36cm (16th December) November 2016 snowfall 110cm reported on 14 days December 2016 snowfall 181cm reported on 22 days January 2017 snowfall 152cm reported on 18 days February 2017 snowfall 160cm reported on 19 days March 2017 snowfall 73cm reported on 8 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 1cm Snowfall at base this season 677cm Posted on Friday 24th March 2017 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Anyone get to enjoy yesterday? I was a bit annoyed that I had to miss it actually. A trusted friend of mine told me conditions were rather good out there, especially in higher areas where there was more fresh than down at base. Not a massive amount, but surprisingly good snow quality for late March. Another person I know (who has a marketing hat stitched to his head) was seemingly getting a bit carried away with his version of conditions - 'best ever', apparently, which I found rather funny. Take your pick! There's 1cm more fresh snowfall on the ground and it's nice and chilly early morning. Overcast conditions generally - dull in some directions but a bit brighter in others. It does look like things are generally going to be getting a bit warmer in the coming week according to the forecasts (though not alarmingly so if they are correct), featuring more 'sun' than 'snow'. There's surely not going to be much fresh snowfall left in the season, so I feel a duty to go out and make the most of it when we get some (and when I can!) - early lifts for me! Have a good day. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Mountain base : -2°, trace new snow. Moiwa 800m: -6.3°, W5m/s, 5cm new snow, minor snowdrift development. Annupuri 1150m: -10°, W8m/s, 10cm new snow, snowpack 230cm. Hirafu 1250m, -10°, N10m/s, 8cm new snow. Coastal data: Kamui Cape: ENE2m/s, 1014hPa, wave 0.9m, Benkei Cape NNE6m/s. There is a strong northerly wind at higher elevations however below 800m winds are light and there is little noticeable snowdrift development. The wind is slowly dropping and it expected to be a good day. All gates are expected to be open. Note that around 1000m elevation shallow slab avalanche will easily trigger on steeper(40 degree) slopes. Avoid traversing and riding in groups on steep slopes. Do not wait in the valley bottoms. Avalanches are a natural occurrence and happen when the conditions are right. They only become an accident if people are involved. Wearing a beacon is not mandatory but is recommended. If you or someone else is buried, it gives you one more tool to help in finding and rescue them. Take care hitting trees or other obstacles, or falling into cracks. Wearing a helmet is also good idea. Snow is good, springtime mountain. --- Official resort snow depths as of Friday 24th March 2017: Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Top - 330cm Base - 125cm Niseko Village Top - 295cm Base - 130cm Niseko Annupuri Top - 230cm Base - 130cm --- Planned closing dates Niseko Grand Hirafu plans to be open daily until Sunday 7th May. Niseko Hanazono plans to be open daily until Sunday 2nd April. Niseko Village plans to be open daily until Sunday 2nd April (and then from 28th April until 7th May). Niseko Annupuri plans to be open daily until Sunday 7th May. Night time floodlit operations have now finished for the season. Niseko Now 2016-2017 season Data as of Friday 24th March 2017 Total snowfall at base so far 677cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 82 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 36cm (16th December) November 2016 snowfall 110cm reported on 14 days December 2016 snowfall 181cm reported on 22 days January 2017 snowfall 152cm reported on 18 days February 2017 snowfall 160cm reported on 19 days March 2017 snowfall 74cm reported on 9 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 1cm Snowfall at base this season 678cm Posted on Saturday 25th March 2017 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Just a dusting of snow this morning; not quite 1cm at my measuring point, but I am going to be add the 1cm to the report this morning - after all, there have been other days of slight dustings and the odd mm here and there! Hopefully there will be more fresh snowfall higher up on the mountain. It's a fairly mild morning. It doesn't feel as cold as yesterday, and it looks like we should now expect a run of milder days and often sunny conditions. Have a fun weekend wherever you may be. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Mountain base : -1°, trace new snow. Moiwa 800m: -6°, W8m/s, 5cm new snow, snowdrift development. Annupuri 1000m: snowpack 230cm. Hirafu 1250m, -7°, N10m/s, snowdrift development. Coastal data: Kamui Cape: N8m/s, 1018hPa, wave 2.1m, Benkei Cape NNW9m/s. Light winds and snow continue above 800m and snow drifts are slowly developing. There is a high risk of avalanche on the leeward side of ridge lines and knolls around 1000m elevation. The recently developed snowdrifts are collapsing easily. The mountain is back to winter conditions and some sought after powder can be found. By 10am the snow conditions below 800m will be getting heavy. All gates are expected to be open. Listen to the patrols advice before going out of bounds. Although recent snow drift development has been slow, with strong rider stimulation they will fracture causing an avalanche. Due to changes in wind direction and speed lately, watch for 2 distinct layers that have formed within snow drifts. Ride one by one, not in groups. Don't wait in the valley bottoms. Snow conditions are always changing. Never enter south facing strictly off limits areas. Have a good day. --- Official resort snow depths as of Saturday 25th March 2017: Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Top - 325cm Base - 125cm Niseko Village Top - 295cm Base - 130cm Niseko Annupuri Top - 230cm Base - 130cm --- Planned closing dates Niseko Grand Hirafu plans to be open daily until Sunday 7th May. Niseko Hanazono plans to be open daily until Sunday 2nd April. Niseko Village plans to be open daily until Sunday 2nd April (and then from 28th April until 7th May). Niseko Annupuri plans to be open daily until Sunday 7th May. Night time floodlit operations have now finished for the season. Niseko Now 2016-2017 season Data as of Saturday 25th March 2017 Total snowfall at base so far 678cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 83 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 36cm (16th December) November 2016 snowfall 110cm reported on 14 days December 2016 snowfall 181cm reported on 22 days January 2017 snowfall 152cm reported on 18 days February 2017 snowfall 160cm reported on 19 days March 2017 snowfall 75cm reported on 10 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 684cm Posted on Tuesday 28th March 2017 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here What a nice surprise this morning! With snow starting to fall in the afternoon yesterday and it was still snowing when I retired for the day, this morning there's 6cm of fresh snow on the ground at base. I can't say I was expecting that, but very happy to see it. It's not snowing now - actually there's quite a lot of blue sky on view and the sun is shining down on us. I wonder how much there will be at higher elevations. I must go and find out! It should be a good day. --- Until Thursday, Shirakaba at Niseko Grand Hirafu will apparently be closed as they are busy setting up the Spring Park there. It also looks like the Dai-no no kabe course will be closed today and tomorrow due to an event being held there (35th Hokkaido Junior Ski Technique Championships). --- Official resort snow depths as of Tuesday 28th March 2017: Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Top - 330cm Base - 125cm Niseko Village Top - 280cm Base - 120cm Niseko Annupuri Top - 230cm Base - 115cm --- Planned closing dates Niseko Grand Hirafu plans to be open daily until Sunday 7th May. Niseko Hanazono plans to be open daily until Sunday 2nd April. Niseko Village plans to be open daily until Sunday 2nd April (and then from 28th April until 7th May). Niseko Annupuri plans to be open daily until Sunday 7th May. Night time floodlit operations have now finished for the season. Niseko Now 2016-2017 season Data as of Tuesday 28th March 2017 Total snowfall at base so far 684cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 84 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 36cm (16th December) November 2016 snowfall 110cm reported on 14 days December 2016 snowfall 181cm reported on 22 days January 2017 snowfall 152cm reported on 18 days February 2017 snowfall 160cm reported on 19 days March 2017 snowfall 81cm reported on 11 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 2cm Snowfall at base this season 686cm Posted on Friday 31st March 2017 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Good morning on this last day of March and I am happy to report a bit of fresh snow to finish the month. It was heavy and wet snow yesterday but got colder overnight and the snow this morning somewhat drier quality. It will be interesting to see how conditions are on the slopes this morning. I would imagine that conditions will be best early on before things warm up in the sunshine that we are expecting today. And yes, the sun is out from the start of the day today. It is going to be a lovely spring day. Not quite sure why the official snow depth has jumped up at Hirafu since yesterday. Investigations required so I'm going to go and check things out early on. See you in April. --- Official resort snow depths as of Friday 31st March 2017: Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Top - 345cm Base - 135cm Niseko Village Top - 255cm Base - 110cm Niseko Annupuri Top - 230cm Base - 110cm --- Planned closing dates Niseko Grand Hirafu plans to be open daily until Sunday 7th May. Niseko Hanazono plans to be open daily until Sunday 2nd April. Niseko Village plans to be open daily until Sunday 2nd April (and then from 28th April until 7th May). Niseko Annupuri plans to be open daily until Sunday 7th May. Night time floodlit operations have now finished for the season. Niseko Now 2016-2017 season Data as of Friday 31st March 2017 Total snowfall at base so far 686cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 85 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 36cm (16th December) November 2016 snowfall 110cm reported on 14 days December 2016 snowfall 181cm reported on 22 days January 2017 snowfall 152cm reported on 18 days February 2017 snowfall 160cm reported on 19 days March 2017 snowfall 83cm reported on 12 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 3cm Snowfall at base this season 548cm Posted on Tuesday 21st February 2017 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here I enjoyed some very fine conditions yesterday. It didn't clear up like we thought it might early on, keeping cloudy but generally visibility was decent and a nice day to be out. For one quad lift ride there was me, a guy from Australia, a lady from Argentina and a teenager from Thailand. How about that for a fun mix? I even saw some Japanese people out on the slopes yesterday. (I think). ;) There were some very strong and noisy winds starting yesterday evening and some pretty wild conditions overnight. I have 3cm of snow to report but it's very likely going to be more than that in places due to the wind. That also means that it's not going to be an even layer of fresh this morning so do take care. Earlier it was snowing lightly but for now that has stopped and it is quite bright actually - some blue sky starting to appear as of 8:30am. It is not as windy this morning but still some top lifts are affected at the start of the day. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Mountain base: -8°, 20cm new snow, snowdrift development. Moiwa 800m: -11°, W8m/s, snowdrift development, 11pm last night wind 22.31m/s. Annupuri 1150m, -14°, NW10m/s, snowdrift development. Hirafu 1250m, -162°, N10m/s, snowdrift development. Coastal data: Kamui Cape:NW8m/s, 1010hPa, wave 2.5m. Wind has dropped now but strong winds overnight have caused major snowdrift development. Around 800m elevation, snowdrifts on knolls have grown by 120cm. General avalanche risk is high. Gates 1,2,3,and 4 will be closed, other gates yet to be decided. Snow is deep and heavy in the trees. Cornices on the ridge lines are getting big. Although the snowdrifts are starting to stabilize it will take more time because of the amount of snow. Today it is best to stay away from steep open slopes on Annupuri and the surrounding mountains. An avalanche is just a natural occurrence, accidents don't happen if there are no people involved. The mountain will get better soon, have a safe day. --- Resort specific opening news at time of writing (subject to change during the day): Niseko Grand Hirafu The top Ace Number 4 and King Number 4 lifts are not moving at the start of the day due to wind conditions. Niseko HANAZONO Resort The top Hanazono Number 3 lift is not moving at the start of the day due to wind conditions. Niseko Village The top Wonderland Chair lift is not moving at the start of the day due to wind conditions. Niseko Annupuri The Annupuri Gondola and top Jumbo Number 4 lift is not moving at the start of the day due to wind conditions. --- Official resort snow depths as of Tuesday 21st February 2017: Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Top - 320cm Base - 120cm Niseko Village Top - 300cm Base - 140cm Niseko Annupuri Top - 315cm Base - 140cm --- Night skiing is planned until Monday 20th March 2017 at the Niseko Annupuri, Niseko Grand Hirafu and Niseko Village resort areas. There is no nighta in the Hanazono area. Niseko Now 2016-2017 season Data as of Tuesday 21st February 2017 Total snowfall at base so far 548cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 67 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 36cm (16th December) November 2016 snowfall 110cm reported on 14 days December 2016 snowfall 181cm reported on 22 days January 2017 snowfall 152cm reported on 18 days February 2017 snowfall 105cm reported on 13 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 407cm Posted on Wednesday 25th January 2017 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Anyway, fine blue skies early on in the day with clouds moving in late morning and then snow starting to fall. So what do I have to report to you this morning? There's 9cm of fresh snowfall at my measuring point is what. I see that the Avalanche Report this morning is reporting 20-30cm in places... so those places will no doubt be sought after this morning! Sounds good to me. It remains cold and light snow is falling. Things look calm to so I would expect everywhere to be opening as planned this morning. The forecast is still looking good for potentially heavy snowfall on Friday and consistent snowfall following that into next week. So far I have observed 116cm of snowfall during the month of January so we still have a lot of catching up to do to come close to the amount of snow that we have seen in January over previous recent seasons. (Data can of course all be seen below and on the Snowfall Analysis page). Fingers crossed. In the meantime, hope you have a fun day. --- Yesterday morning I had lots of fun skiing with some visitors from Australia. It was their first time in Niseko and they were having a blast. It was very interesting to hear them talk about the usual snow conditions at their home resorts and how their experience here in Niseko compares. I have never skied in Australia so am not in the position to be able to make comparisons. But it was one of those times when I realise that I need to remember to always appreciate being here and how fabulous Niseko is. Thanks, friendly Australian family. Still, those glossy Niseko marketing brochures that I avidly read each evening promise me the best snow in the world, so I stand by my right to have the highest expectations. Let's expecting. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6am: -11℃, 20cm crystal snowfall. Moiwa800m: -11.4℃, NNW3.3, 30cm new snow, snowpack 160cm. Annupuri 1150m: -13℃, NW10m/s, 30cm new snow. Hirafu 1250m: -16℃, NW15m/s, 10cm snowfall. Kamui cape lighthouse: NNW5m/s, 1020hPa, 1.5m waves. Calm morning under a high-pressure band. Good snow has deposited in the west side and no notable slabs have formed. All gates are expected to open. Please listen to the ski patrol’s advice and be prepared for backcountry travels. Beacons and helmets are not mandatory, but highly recommended. Beacon checkers at gates are sensitive, please allow 3 sec lag between each other. The avalanche risk is low, however cornice fall or steep slope traverses can always trigger a slide. There will be many people in the out of bounds area today. Do not trigger an avalanche with a foolish act. Snowpack is still shallow, but the terrain remains and is fun. Overhead faceshots may block your sight, beware of hitting trees. Snowboarders may be better off carrying snowshoes. Always be vigilant. Prudency is key to avoid accidents. Have a nice day. --- Official resort snow depths as of Wednesday 25th January 2017: Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Top - 280cm Base - 110cm Niseko Village Top - 220cm Base - 130cm Niseko Annupuri Top - 235cm Base - 135cm --- Night skiing is planned until Monday 20th March 2017 at the Niseko Annupuri, Niseko Grand Hirafu and Niseko Village resort areas. There is no nighta in the Hanazono area. Niseko Now 2016-2017 season Data as of Wednesday 25th January 2017 Total snowfall at base so far 407cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 51 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 36cm (16th December) November 2016 snowfall 110cm reported on 14 days December 2016 snowfall 181cm reported on 22 days January 2017 snowfall 116cm 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. 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 37cm Good morning from Niseko. Just a short while ago it was snowing, but as I write this at 8:30am we have some blue sky above us and the sun is shining (with some cloud still covering higher areas). Importantly, we have a blanket of fresh snow on the ground. There is around 10cm in base areas and hopefully more than that at higher elevations. This isn't going to be enough to get ski lifts moving yet, but it is a start. The blue skies of the moment aren't expected to last long, with snow due again later on and through tomorrow. 1pm update: Light snow has started falling. Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu ski area must be confident of a fair amount over the next 12-18 hours as it has announced plans to open tomorrow morning (Thursday 4th December). Hurray! The plan is for the Ace Gondola and Ace Number 3 lifts to operate with the Center Course available. I will of course bring you more on that, and any other news, tomorrow morning. Niseko Now 2025-2026 season Data as of Wednesday 3rd December 2025 Total snowfall at base so far 37cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 8 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 9cm (18th November) November 2025 snowfall 29cm reported on 7 days December 2025 snowfall 8cm reported on 1 day 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 123cm Posted on Tuesday 6th December 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here This is a bit more like it. It is colder this morning and importantly there's 6cm of fresh snow outside my place here near Hirafu base. The temperature is currently slightly above 0C but we are actually expecting it to get colder as the day goes on. Strong winds may well affect lifts throughout the day, and I have posted the latest on that situation below. The forecast is looking very nice at the moment too, so here's to lots of fresh snowfall in the coming week. On and off by the looks of it rather than a full-on non-stop extravaganza but we'll see... bring it on, I say! --- Frequently asked question answered: "Why don't you post the reports earlier?" I probably usually spend about 30 minutes or so on this report every day. Sometimes it is a bit less than that and sometimes it is much more – it depends on what is happening at the time and what there is to report. The first lifts at the ski resorts in Niseko start moving at 8:30am and it is around that time when it becomes clear if there might be any interruptions or changes to plans. Early morning weather often changes quickly too – from the time I get up to when I am about the post my report. As such I usually try and get my report posted at around that time. It sounds like some people would like earlier reports but if I posted them earlier I wouldn’t have that up-to-date information at the time when the resorts open. And, I’d have to get up earlier. As dedicated as I am to these reports, I also need my beauty sleep and there’s a few things I need to do before settling down to report duties. If you are in Niseko and need to know what the weather is doing before my report time… I suggest looking outside the window! Joking aside, I see each of these reports as one piece of an ongoing commentary of the season, rather than something that is aimed exclusively at people who are in Niseko and checking the weather before rushing off for first lifts. --- A thank you to the kind people who sent me a message regarding the comments I made in my report yesterday. I wasn’t angling for comments, honest! Always appreciated, thank you. I will gambarimasu as much as possible and be particularly excited, when appropriate of course. --- What is planned to be open today? 8:30am update - the lifts at Annupuri are on standby at the start of the day due to strong winds. The other planned lifts appear to be starting the day as planned. Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Lifts planned to be operating: - Ace Family Pair - Ace Number 2 Center Four - Ace Number 3 pair - Hirafu Gondola - King Number 3 triple - Swinging Monkey - Hanazono 1 quad - Hanazono 2 quad - Hanazono 3 quad Courses planned to be open: - Family - Beginners access course - Shirakaba course - Center course - Jumbo course - Parallel course - Silver Dream (experts only) - Yotei Sunset Niseko Annupuri Lifts planned to be operating: - Jumbo Number 3 pair - Annupuri Gondola Courses planned to be operating: - Utopia Niseko Village Lifts planned to be operating: - Community Chair - Upper Village Gondola - Village Express (used as a connection) --- Official resort snow depths as of Tuesday 6th December 2016: Niseko Grand Hirafu Top - 105cm Base - 35cm Niseko Village Top - 30cm Base - 10cm Niseko Annupuri Top - 55cm Base - 30cm Niseko Now 2016-2017 season Data as of Tuesday 6th December 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 123cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 17 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 25cm (25th November) November 2016 snowfall 110cm reported on 14 days December 2016 snowfall 13cm reported on 3 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