Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 16cm Snowfall at base this season 728cm Posted on Monday 22nd January 2018 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Hurray!, after snow (and wind) during the day yesterday I have double digit fresh snowfall numbers to report this morning - a very reasonable 16cm. And I see lots of people lined up waiting for the lifts to get going. But there's a lot more to come this week, with some very decent snowfall being forecast by... the forecasts... into the weekend and beyond. It looks like it should be a very good week for snow, which is what I love to report. And not only here in Hokkaido but lots of regions of Japan are set to get snowed on. Even Tokyo, which is set to get some snow today. Of course they don't like getting snow and it causes all sorts of problems (cue video on the national news of people slipping on the snow, along with some instantly broken umbrellas), so it would be good if it just fell in the areas that want it. Like, us. Hopefully wind won't cause too many problems. Light snow is falling as I write this report and snow on and off is what seems to be on the local forecasts for the day, though there's actually a bit of sun shining through a break in the clouds over to the east. All ski resort areas appear to be opening as planned this morning - check for gate info. Let's get ready for it. It should be a good week and a very positive last section of the month. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6am: -10℃, 15cm snowfall with snowdrifts. Moiwa 800m: -13℃, W15m/s, large snowdrifts. Annupuri 1150m: -17℃, W15/s, 15cm snowfall with large snowdrifts. Hirafu1250m: -19℃, 20cm snowfall, mild wind with occasional gusts. Benkei cape: NW15m/s, Kamai cape: WSW12m/s, 1019hPa, 2.6m waves. The isobars were tight and the wind stayed strong until late night, the leeward aspects have heavy load of snowdrifts and the avalanche risk is high above 800m. The wind is forecasted to calm down, the gates opening is still undetermined, but working on it. Please follow the patrol’s instructions. The avalanche risk in the Backbowl, Osawa, Higashi-One is high, please refrain from going too far even after the gate open. Avalanche swipes the whole valley at 100+km/h. Better stay away from the bottom to be able to avoid. Traversing knolls and steep slopes can trigger a slide at anytime. Never traverse avalanche terrain. The tree runs are filled with slightly heavy, wind affected snow, very good conditions. Please be mindful of your tour route. Being careful will prevent most accidents. Have you turned your beacon on? Helmet? Not obligatory, but strongly recommended. Beware of frostbites. The Niseko Rules exist to protect the safety and freedom of out of bounds riding. Please respect the Rules. Stormy days will persist throughout the week. We hope no accidents will happen. --- Monday 22nd January 2018 Resort specific information (operations subject to change): Niseko Grand Hirafu & Niseko HANAZONO Resort Lifts scheduled to be operating: - All lifts apart from King Number 2 should be operating - 'Early Morning' services from 8:00am until 8:20am (Ace Number 2 Center Four quad lift). Until 28th January. 500 yen special ticket required. Official snow depth: - Top: 375cm - Base: 175cm Niseko Annupuri Kokusai Lifts scheduled to be operating: - All lifts are generally operating Official snow depth: - Top: 290cm - Base: 170cm Niseko Village Lifts scheduled to be operating: - All lifts apart from the Country Road Chair lift should be operating - 'Early Gondola' service from 7:30am until 8:30am (Niseko Gondola). January 27th-28th; February 3rd-4th. 1,400 yen special ticket required. Official snow depth: - Top: 290cm - Base: 170cm Niseko Now 2017-2018 season Data as of Monday 22nd January 2018 Total snowfall at base so far 728cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 55 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 38cm (21st December) November 2017 snowfall 188cm reported on 11 days December 2017 snowfall 406cm reported on 27 days January 2018 snowfall 134cm 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 6cm Snowfall at base this season 712cm Posted on Sunday 21st January 2018 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here This morning I have another 6cm of snowfall to report since yesterday and I see the report below mentioning up to 15cm of fresh higher up. That 6cm takes my observed (base level) snowfall up to 118cm for the first 21 reports of January 2018. We may get some more snow during today and into tomorrow with the really decent snowfall still there on the forecasts from around Wednesday onwards. Since I started putting this report together there have been some breaks in the clouds with even a bit of sunshine peeking through in some places - though the sun is hidden again now. And it is snowing! Wind appears to be affecting the Gondola and top lift at Annupuri as well as the day begins - see below for individual ski-jo information as of 8:30am. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6.00am: -8°, 5cm new snow, wind effected snowfall. Moiwa 800m: -12°, W7.6m/s, 5pm to this morning was around W12m/s, peaking at 17.4m/s at midnight, snowdrift development. Annupuri 1100m: -13°, NW16.3m/s - maximum21.1m/s. Hirafu 1250m: -13°, 15cm new snow, light winds, ridgeline snowdrift development. Coastal data: Benkei Cape:NW13m/s. Kamui Cape: W11m/s,1014hPa, wave 2.2m. After the passing of the low pressure system yesterday afternoon a westerly wind and snow picked up. Although the amount of snow wasn’t that much, cornices and drifts above 800m had rapid development. Leeward snowdrifts are not yet stabilised. There is 30-50cm layer on top of the Jan 20th low pressure snowfall layer that is easily fracturing. The avalanche risk is high on leeward slopes above 800m this morning. Hirafu and Annupuri peak gates are expected to be closed. Do not duck ropes to enter Osawa cornice face, East Ridge cornice slope, Strictly Off Limits areas Haru no Taki or Yuno Sawa. Most avalanche accidents occur during blizzards, where snowdrifts are quickly turning to slabs. During blizzards all leeward slopes should be considered high risk for avalanches. The snowdrift growth is hard and heavy, prone to surface slab avalanches trigged by rider stimulation. Snow conditions change everyday, do not disregard the danger of avalanches. This week we will have a strengthening typical cold winter weather pattern and the snowstorm is expected to continue. Make a reasonable action plan. The snow in the trees is good but heavy. --- Sunday 21st January 2018 Resort specific information (operations subject to change): Niseko Grand Hirafu & Niseko HANAZONO Resort Lifts scheduled to be operating: - All lifts apart from King Number 2 should be operating - The top Ace Number 4 and King Number 4 lifts are on hold at start of the day due to strong winds - 'Early Morning' services from 8:00am until 8:20am (Ace Number 2 Center Four quad lift). Until 28th January. 500 yen special ticket required. Official snow depth: - Top: 370cm - Base: 170cm Niseko Annupuri Kokusai Lifts scheduled to be operating: - All lifts are generally operating - Gondola and top Jumbo Number 4 lifts on hold at start of the day due to strong winds Official snow depth: - Top: 290cm - Base: 170cm Niseko Village Lifts scheduled to be operating: - All lifts apart from the Country Road Chair lift should be operating - 'Early Gondola' service from 7:30am until 8:30am (Niseko Gondola). January 27th-28th; February 3rd-4th. 1,400 yen special ticket required. Official snow depth: - Top: 280cm - Base: 170cm Niseko Now 2017-2018 season Data as of Sunday 21st January 2018 Total snowfall at base so far 712cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 54 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 38cm (21st December) November 2017 snowfall 188cm reported on 11 days December 2017 snowfall 406cm reported on 27 days January 2018 snowfall 118cm 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 Furano region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 2cm Snowfall at base this season 406cm Posted on Saturday 20th January 2018 This is an archived report. The latest Furano Now report can be found here . Magical! That is the word that comes to mind as I look up and see a bluebird morning with the sky looking absolutely perfect and the sun out in full force. There is only the slightest of breeze detectable but winds are expected to pick up a little in the afternoon. While the sky and sun are the positives, overnight snow is only a 2cm dusting so there will be no change to the firm packed slopes. Light snow is possible during the day. Overall it is a fantastic morning so I'd advise anyone to forgo the coffee and get up there asap. Kitanomine Zone open. Furano Zone open. Furano Now 2017-2018 season Data as of Saturday 20th January 2018 Total snowfall at base 406cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 46 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 28cm (5th December) November 2017 snowfall 125cm reported on 13 days December 2017 snowfall 206cm reported on 22 days January 2018 snowfall 75cm 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 Furano. 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 5cm Snowfall at base this season 706cm Posted on Saturday 20th January 2018 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Good morning everyone on this lovely Saturday morning. This morning I have 5cm of snow to report this morning - this is snow that fell from the skies during the day yesterday with no more overnight, and so again it's not enough to fill in tracks. But it's good quality snow all the same. OK, I'm greedy - and needy! - and am really ready for us to get back to some decent snowfall numbers rather than this faffing around with single digit numbers! And the coming week is looking good with regular snowfall due every day, perhaps starting later on today. Look to mid-week for the best chance of those bigger numbers and complete resets. In the meantime, it is a beautiful morning here. The sun is out and there's just some calm looking thin cloud hanging around. That in itself is a good excuse to strap on the board(s). It is nice and cold early on but temperatures are forecast to rise to close on zero later on before dropping again tonight and into tomorrow. Until tomorrow! --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6.00am: -10°, no new snow, calm. Moiwa 800m: -9.4°, NW2.8m/s, trace new snow, minor snowdrift development. Annupuri 1100m: -11°, WNW3.5m/s, trace new snow. Hirafu 1250m: -11°, no new snow, calm, good visibility. Coastal data: Benkei Cape:SW4m/s. Kamui Cape: SSW9m/s,1015hPa, wave 0.9m. Temperatures dropped overnight with a clear sky. Low pressure snowfall and a rise in temperature is expected from around noon. From observation and tests the general avalanche risk is low. All gates are expected to be open. Please listen to the patrols advice. Be prepared before venturing outside the gates. Currently we are between a high and low pressure system and the winds are light, but they are expected to increase. Be careful of a sudden change in the weather. The weather in mountains can change quickly. Although the government does not officially recognize Niseko Rules, through the use them you are allowed to ride out of bounds. Niseko Rules were first conceived to keep the out of bounds areas open while at the same time stop the alarming number of accidents that were happening on the mountain. Selfish interpretation and criticism of Niseko Rules risk the survival of them. Understanding and cooperation from all users is needed ensure the continuation of our current freedoms out of bounds. Please respect and follow Niseko Rules. Out of bounds is all tracked up. Its not that good but fresh lines can still be found. Be careful falling into cracks and crashing into trees. Have a good day. --- Saturday 20th January 2018 Resort specific information (operations subject to change): Niseko Grand Hirafu & Niseko HANAZONO Resort Lifts scheduled to be operating: - All lifts apart from King Number 2 should be operating - 'Early Morning' services from 8:00am until 8:20am (Ace Number 2 Center Four quad lift). Until 28th January. 500 yen special ticket required. Official snow depth: - Top: 370cm - Base: 170cm Niseko Annupuri Kokusai Lifts scheduled to be operating: - All lifts are generally operating Official snow depth: - Top: 290cm - Base: 170cm Niseko Village Lifts scheduled to be operating: - All lifts apart from the Country Road Chair lift should be operating - 'Early Gondola' service from 7:30am until 8:30am (Niseko Gondola). January 20th-21st, 27th-28th; February 3rd-4th. 1,400 yen special ticket required. Official snow depth: - Top: 280cm - Base: 170cm Niseko Now 2017-2018 season Data as of Saturday 20th January 2018 Total snowfall at base so far 706cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 53 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 38cm (21st December) November 2017 snowfall 188cm reported on 11 days December 2017 snowfall 406cm reported on 27 days January 2018 snowfall 112cm 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 Furano region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 6cm Snowfall at base this season 404cm Posted on Friday 19th January 2018 This is an archived report. The latest Furano Now report can be found here . It is a nice morning looking up towards the mountain. The sky is clear and blue, with a patches of cloud spread around. The day will be mild starting off from -5c now and moving upwards a little to a high of -3c. Light snow is expected later in the day. The weekend looks like it will be a bit windy from Saturday afternoon onwards. Overnight there has been a nice new layer of 6cm of new powder which will transform the slopes from the firm base to a nice powder experience. Kitanomine Zone open. Furano Zone open. Furano Now 2017-2018 season Data as of Friday 19th January 2018 Total snowfall at base 404cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 45 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 28cm (5th December) November 2017 snowfall 125cm reported on 13 days December 2017 snowfall 206cm reported on 22 days January 2018 snowfall 73cm 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 Furano. 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 Madarao region of Nagano New snowfall at base 3cm Snowfall at base this season 469cm Weather overview Cloud Wind Light Temperature - Visibility Fair to limited Posted on Friday 19th January 2018 This is an archived report. The latest Madarao Now report can be found here . Morning all. A bit of snow to report this morning. I measure 3cm; the resort is reporting 5cm. So a think layer that won't be totally covering up tracks, but of course welcome all the same. But when can we expect some decent snowfall? I'm happy to report that the forecasts are looking very positive and good for decent snow in the coming week, starting sometime on Monday and getting Madarao-tastic around Tuesday and Wednesday - and hopefully beyond. It is looking like that suck us right back into mid-winter - where we want to be! Earlier light snow to ease off leaving us with generally cloudy conditions. Perhaps even get some sun. Tomorrow is set to be sunny from early in the morning. Deep fresh snow? Coming soon! Official snow depth: 170cm Operating lifts: Number 1 lift Number 2 quad lift Number 3A lift Super quad lift Number 11 lift Number 12 lift Number 13 lift Number 15 lift Powder Wave I Powder Wave II River Line Free Ride Park Powder Theater Adventure Aisle Crystal Bowl Ninja Sawa Rabbit Kamoshika Bear Kids Park Snow Mobile Land Planned nighta operations this season: 11th February 2018 Every Saturday between 4th January and 24th March 201 Madarao Now 2017-2018 season Data as of Friday 19th January 2018 Total snowfall at base 469cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 24 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 58cm (on 27th December) November 2017 snowfall 60cm reported on 3 days December 2017 snowfall 280cm reported on 13 days January 2018 snowfall 129cm 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 Madarao. 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 701cm Posted on Friday 19th January 2018 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here The gates were closed yesterday (I believe) and that was due to the really poor visibility up there. They should be open today with improved conditions - though I would expect still fairly limited visibility this morning on mountain. I have 8cm of fresh snowfall on the ground to report this morning; falling yesterday afternoon and last night. Very nice to see of course; perhaps not enough to completely cover tracks, but certainly welcome and I believe a personal inspection is required this morning! Light-moderate snow is falling now as the resorts open up for the day and all lifts appear to be starting up as planned. Maybe see some of you out there. It was funny, the other day someone asked me 'if I liked toast' when they heard that I lived locally. They were trying to uncover the identity of the Niseko Now writer! Of course, I pretended to be confused by such a question and held back with my response! ;) --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6.00am: -5°, 10cm new snow. Moiwa 800m: -5.9°, E3.4m/s, 15cm new snow, minor snowdrift development. Annupuri 1100m: -6.7°, WNW3.5m/s, 15cm new snow, minor snowdrift development. Hirafu 1250m: -11°, light westerly winds, 20cm new snow, snowdrift development. Coastal data: Benkei Cape:NNW12m/s. Kamui Cape: N7m/s,1017hPa, wave 1.4m. From midnight the atmospheric pressure gradient increased and above 800m there was some slow snowdrift development. The mountain is reset for the first time in a while. From observation the general avalanche risk is low. All gates are expected to be open. Listen to the patrols advice before going out of bounds. Be careful riding, the old tracks are not completely covered. Cracks are appearing everywhere on the mountain. The risk of large scale avalanche from a deep layer or full depth avalanche in Haru no Taki is increasing due to the warm winter and large amount of snow. Do not duck ropes to enter this area from either the Hirafu or Higashiyama side. Do not overestimate your knowledge, skills or equipment. Always err on the side of caution. Groomers are in fantastic condition. --- Friday 19th January 2018 Resort specific information (operations subject to change): Niseko Grand Hirafu & Niseko HANAZONO Resort Lifts scheduled to be operating: - All lifts apart from King Number 2 should be operating - 'Early Morning' services from 8:00am until 8:20am (Ace Number 2 Center Four quad lift). Until 28th January. 500 yen special ticket required. Official snow depth: - Top: 370cm - Base: 175cm Niseko Annupuri Kokusai Lifts scheduled to be operating: - All lifts are generally operating Official snow depth: - Top: 290cm - Base: 170cm Niseko Village Lifts scheduled to be operating: - All lifts apart from the Country Road Chair lift should be operating - 'Early Gondola' service from 7:30am until 8:30am (Niseko Gondola). January 20th-21st, 27th-28th; February 3rd-4th. 1,400 yen special ticket required. Official snow depth: - Top: 280cm - Base: 170cm Niseko Now 2017-2018 season Data as of Friday 19th January 2018 Total snowfall at base so far 701cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 52 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 38cm (21st December) November 2017 snowfall 188cm reported on 11 days December 2017 snowfall 406cm reported on 27 days January 2018 snowfall 107cm reported on 14 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 Myoko region of Niigata New snowfall at base 6cm Snowfall at base this season 807cm Posted on Friday 19th January 2018 This is an archived report. The latest Myoko Now report can be found here . Snow again! Not the greatest kind of white stuff; we saw little pellets of soft hail, the kind of snow that, if you get a whole to of it, you don’t go forward except on steep slopes. The good news is more snow to come after Saturday, and especially mid-week. Hopefully the snow will be more flakes, less little balls net time. Back to full winter mode again? Akakura Kanko: 230 cm, -4° Akakura Onsen: 265cm, -4° Ikenotaira Onsen: 200cm, -2° Myoko Suginohara: 160cm, -7° Seki Onsen: 330 cm, -2° Myoko Ski Park: 190 cm, 1° Kyukamura RunRun: 200 cm, 0° (new) Tangram Ski Circus: 180 cm, 0° Madarao Kogen: 170 cm, -3° Myoko Now 2017-2018 season Data as of Friday 19th January 2018 Total snowfall at base so far 807cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 28 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 81cm (27th December) November 2017 snowfall 61cm reported on 3 days December 2017 snowfall 468cm reported on 15 days January 2018 snowfall 278cm 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 Myoko. 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 Furano region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 2cm Snowfall at base this season 398cm Posted on Wednesday 17th January 2018 This is an archived report. The latest Furano Now report can be found here . There has been a dusting of snow overnight and on the slopes this fresh layer is sitting on top of the grooming. The ski area is very very quiet this morning apart from some large Japanese school groups on the leaners slopes. Today will again be a warm day topping out at -2c, but with plenty of sun around there will be melt on roads and roofs. The forecast is showing continuous light snow from Thursday onwards. Kitanomine Zone open. Furano Zone open. Furano Now 2017-2018 season Data as of Wednesday 17th January 2018 Total snowfall at base 398cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 44 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 28cm (5th December) November 2017 snowfall 125cm reported on 13 days December 2017 snowfall 206cm reported on 22 days January 2018 snowfall 67cm 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 Furano. 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 693cm Posted on Wednesday 17th January 2018 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Good morning Niseko fans. Just about 1cm of fresh snow to be able to report to you this morning. That's not particularly exciting but the weather conditions today should score some extra points - it seems calm and the sun is out looking out from the resort. Still a lot of cloud above the upper parts of the mountain but perhaps conditions will clear up more; I suspect they will. It is colder this morning as well and so rather icy out there. The forecast looks nice and promising at the end of the week and into next week so we should hopefully be getting a good old full-on reset soon. I have recorded 99cm of snowfall in January up until today. That's less than quarter of the snowfall I measured during the full month of December, so a noticeable slowdown. It was always going to be difficult to keep up that pace. But anyway a second half of January that is more December than the first half would be very nice. Onegai shimasu! --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6am: -5℃, 1cm snowfall, calm. Moiwa800m: -6.5℃, W3.2m/s. Annupuri 1150m: -9.9℃, WNW4.1m/s. Hirafu1250m: -9℃, 2cm snowfall, calm. Coastal data: Benkei cape NNE6m/s, Kamui cape N5m/s, 1019hPa, 0.7m waves. The isobars are spread out and the weather is calm over the Mountains and Seas. No snow clouds are present over the Sea of Japan and snowfall on the Niseko range is scarce. No notable development of snowdrifts and cornices as the wind remained calm. According to the observations, the general avalanche risk is low. Peak gates are expected to open from the morning. Ask for the patrol’s advice, be prepared for backcountry touring and always use the gates to step out of bounds. Resort accessible areas are mostly tracked out. Beware of hidden bushes in the tree-runs. Mountains are never 100% safe. Be cautious at all times. The groomers conditions are wonderful this morning. Do not enter the strictly off limits areas such as Haru no Taki to seek fresh snow. Violators will be severely punished. Have a wonderful day. --- Wednesday 17th January 2018 Resort specific information (operations subject to change): Niseko Grand Hirafu & Niseko HANAZONO Resort Lifts scheduled to be operating: - All lifts apart from King Number 2 should be operating - 'Early Morning' services from 8:00am until 8:20am (Ace Number 2 Center Four quad lift). Until 28th January. 500 yen special ticket required. Official snow depth: - Top: 365cm - Base: 165cm Niseko Annupuri Kokusai Lifts scheduled to be operating: - All lifts are generally operating Official snow depth: - Top: 280cm - Base: 170cm Niseko Village Lifts scheduled to be operating: - All lifts apart from the Country Road Chair lift should be operating - 'Early Gondola' service from 7:30am until 8:30am (Niseko Gondola). January 20th-21st, 27th-28th; February 3rd-4th. 1,400 yen special ticket required. Official snow depth: - Top: 270cm - Base: 180cm Niseko Now 2017-2018 season Data as of Wednesday 17th January 2018 Total snowfall at base so far 693cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 51 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 38cm (21st December) November 2017 snowfall 188cm reported on 11 days December 2017 snowfall 406cm reported on 27 days January 2018 snowfall 99cm 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 Furano region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 10cm Snowfall at base this season 396cm Posted on Tuesday 16th January 2018 This is an archived report. The latest Furano Now report can be found here . It was a warm day yesterday with a good amount of snow falling. Warmth and snow equated to wet snow which is very different from what Furano usually gets. I've just been to measure the accumulation and it is 10cm in the village, and as you would expect very heavy. The snow has stopped for now but there could be a few more flakes during the day. It is a thin veneer of overcast above and calm in terms of wind. It is going to be another very mild day so the snow on the slopes will be reasonably sticky I think. Best snow should be higher up. Kitanomine Zone open. Furano Zone open. Furano Now 2017-2018 season Data as of Tuesday 16th January 2018 Total snowfall at base 396cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 43 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 28cm (5th December) November 2017 snowfall 125cm reported on 13 days December 2017 snowfall 206cm reported on 22 days January 2018 snowfall 65cm 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 Furano. 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 692cm Posted on Tuesday 16th January 2018 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Since early morning yesterday, I hereby add 7cm of fresh snowfall at my near Hirafu base measuring point. (Apologies if some of you were confused by my reporting of 0cm when the report went up yesterday around noon time. I thought I explained that and it wasn't meant to confuse - just trying to keep things on a regular time cycle ie. how much new snow at the start of each morning). There has been some snow falling in places early this morning but it's not the kind (for now anyway) that is likely going to add anything significant, and we're not expecting much today. Things are going to be keeping on the milder side of things over the next few days - hopefully not too much of course - with cloudy conditions expected today with the chance of some sun, and more sun tomorrow. Actually, as I am about to post this at 8:30am there are some small areas of blue sky starting to appear... It will be interesting to see how the snow conditions are this morning. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6.00am: -5°, trace new snow, calm. Annupuri 1150m: -11.3°, W4.9m/s, groomers in good condition. Hirafu 1250m: -11°, E5m/s, 5cm new snow, good visibility. Coastal data: Benkei Cape:NW12m/s. Kamui Cape: WSW10m/s,1017hPa, wave 2.1m. The low pressure system has moved out into the Pacific, the isobars interval is widening and winds at higher elevations are light. A westerly wind of 15m/s continued above 800m last night causing cornice and snowdrift development. Tests fractured at 30cm but should be stabilised by the morning. From observation the general avalanche risk has begun to fall. Peak gates are expected to be open. Please listen to the patrols advice before leaving the ski area. The snow on leeward slopes above 800m has been reset. Some tracks remain but the riding is good. Avalanche risk will remain higher on SE slopes above 1100m for a while. Avoid simultaneous riding and traversing on steep slopes. Cracks are beginning to occur everywhere on steep slopes. Although cracked slopes will not suddenly slide, cracks cant be seen from above. Beware falling in them, they are about 5m deep. Do not duck ropes to ride off the runs. Once there is one track others will follow increasing probability of an accident. Resort users must always obey Niseko Rules, not just when its convenient. The Rules are for your freedom and safety riding out of bounds. Always use gates to enter out of bounds areas. Have a good day. --- Tuesday 16th January 2018 Resort specific information (operations subject to change): Niseko Grand Hirafu & Niseko HANAZONO Resort Lifts scheduled to be operating: - All lifts apart from King Number 2 should be operating - 'Early Morning' services from 8:00am until 8:20am (Ace Number 2 Center Four quad lift). Until 28th January. 500 yen special ticket required. Official snow depth: - Top: 370cm - Base: 170cm Niseko Annupuri Kokusai Lifts scheduled to be operating: - All lifts are generally operating - The Gondola is going to be delayed opening this morning Official snow depth: - Top: 280cm - Base: 170cm Niseko Village Lifts scheduled to be operating: - All lifts apart from the Country Road Chair lift should be operating - 'Early Gondola' service from 7:30am until 8:30am (Niseko Gondola). January 20th-21st, 27th-28th; February 3rd-4th. 1,400 yen special ticket required. Official snow depth: - Top: 270cm - Base: 180cm Niseko Now 2017-2018 season Data as of Tuesday 16th January 2018 Total snowfall at base so far 692cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 50 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 38cm (21st December) November 2017 snowfall 188cm reported on 11 days December 2017 snowfall 406cm reported on 27 days January 2018 snowfall 98cm 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