Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 7cm Snowfall at base this season 826cm Posted on Wednesday 24th February 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Morning from Niseko and this morning I have another 7cm of snow to report. It was more cloudy when I got up, but now there is a lot of blue sky and sunshine and it looks like it's going to be a very fine morning. Wind today just seems to be affecting the gondola and top lift at Annupuri with the other reports looking to open as planned. That regular snowfall on the forecast for the coming week? It's still there looking pretty so it looks like February 2016 is going to end well for us here in Niseko. --- Resort specific lift opening news at time of writing (subject to change during the day): Niseko Grand Hirafu Niseko HANAZONO Resort Niseko Village Lifts at these three resort areas appear to be open as planned at the start of the day. Niseko Annupuri The Annupuri Gondola and top Jumbo Number 4 lifts are on hold at the start of the day due to strong winds. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: There is no report today. --- Official resort snow depths as of Wednesday 24th February 2016: Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Top - 360cm Base - 150cm Niseko Village Top - 340cm Base - 170cm Niseko Annupuri Top - 360cm Base - 170cm --- Lifts planned to be open for night skiing: Nighta will be open every day until Monday 21st March 2016 Niseko Grand Hirafu: Ace Family Pair lift, Ace Number 2 Center Four lift, Hirafu Gondola, Holiday Number 1 Pair lift (There is no night skiing at the Hanazono area) Niseko Village: Community Chair and Banzai Chair Niseko Annupuri: Jumbo Number 1 Quad Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Wednesday 24th February 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 826cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 66 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 38cm (17th February) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 244cm reported on 17 days January 2016 snowfall 303cm reported on 26 days February 2016 snowfall 218cm 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 22cm Snowfall at base this season 906cm Posted on Wednesday 2nd March 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Good morning from Niseko and happily it's somewhat calmer this morning. It might be calmer, but snow is really coming down at some speed right now. We're still in mid-winter here folks which is of course fantastic. So that mad windy storm has passed us by, and we can hopefully soon get back to something like a normal day, even though as I did update yesterday a few lower lifts did actually manage to get moving yesterday. As always, lift status at 8:30am this morning added below. Looks like some top lifts are going to be at least late in opening as they pick up the pieces from the storm (and perhaps re-assemble some lift parts!) There's 22cm of fresh snow on the ground this morning here at my base after some heavy snowing from last night and continuing now - I have added 2cm since I started putting this report together. There will be more than that on the mountain, and of course with the upper lifts being closed for a few days there's going to be a lot more fresh untouched snow up there to play in. And with all of the wind over the last few days and limited visibility this morning, extra (extra) care is advised - there's going to be lots of wind blown areas where there's much more (or less) snow. Right now it is continuing to snow pretty hard and visibility is limited even down at base here. Even so, at 8am, there's quite a lot of people already lined up waiting for the Ace Number 2 quad to get going at 8:30am. The lure of all that fresh snow is just too much! The forecasts say we should expect the snowfall to ease off later in morning or this afternoon. So basically, there'll surely be huge amounts of deep fun to be found this morning but do be careful out there. --- The official snow depth on the upper areas of Niseko Grand Hirafu is back up to 400cm today. Interestingly, I just noticed that it was 400cm on 1st March last year and 395cm on this day last year... so those measurements are pretty much exactly the same as last year. (The corresponding base numbers are actually higher than last year). --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6am: -6℃, 25cm crystal snowfall and calm. Moiwa peak 800m: -10℃, light wind and 40cm snowfall. Hirafu peak ridge: -13℃, 15cm snowfall. Annupuri 1000m: -10℃, light breeze, 50cm snowfall. Benkei cape: NNW10m/s, Kamui cape: W7m/s, 1015hPa, wave height unknown. The storm has passed and cold air is flowing in, bringing a heavy snowfall notably in the west side of the mountain. The wind stayed calm overnight and snowdrift development is minimal. The general avalanche risk is low, however the wind-affected Mar 1st storm layer just under the surface remains unstable especially in high-elevation north facing aspects. The gates’ opening will depend on the lift operations, please follow the ski patrol’s instructions. The snow in the trees is deep, better have snowshoes or skins ready with you for out of bounds riding. Snow remains good as we’re getting into March, but please be alarmed at all times, the mountain conditions are ever-changing. Better be flexible with your plans. Beware of cracks, as they’re not visible from above, remain in controllable speed. Beware also of creeks, ice-cold water flowing in there and would lead to hypothermia. --- Official resort snow depths as of Wednesday 2nd March 2016: Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Top - 400cm Base - 170cm Niseko Village Top - 380cm Base - 190cm Niseko Annupuri Top - 385cm Base - 190cm Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Wednesday 2nd March 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 906cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 71 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 38cm (17th February) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 244cm reported on 17 days January 2016 snowfall 303cm reported on 26 days February 2016 snowfall 266cm reported on 22 days March 2016 snowfall 32cm reported on 2 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 915cm Posted on Thursday 3rd March 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here When I wrote the report yesterday morning the snow was really coming down nicely. There was more snow during the day and a bit more overnight, giving me another 9cm to report this morning. Fantastic conditions out there yesterday, everyone I spoke to seemed to have had a very fine day indeed. Let there be more like it this March! It's another cold morning and light snow is falling as I am writing this. Temperatures may rise to around zero or slightly above at base today. Limited visibility by the sounds of things on the upper areas of the mountain which are covered with fog and for that reason some top lifts are not opening at the start of the day, so keep an eye on that situation, hopefully things will get clearer during the day. There's a good chance we'll see some clearer skies and maybe sunshine at times tomorrow and Saturday in particular. It still looks like we should expect warmer conditions over the weekend (5C at base?) and possibly some rain around Sunday. Once the weekend is over though it is forecast to get colder again and a return to some fresh snowfall hopefully by Tuesday. --- Resort specific lift opening news at time of posting (subject to change during the day): Niseko Grand Hirafu The top Ace Number 4 and King Number 4 lifts are on hold at the start of the day due to thick fog. Niseko HANAZONO Resort All lifts plan to be operating as normal. Niseko Village The top Wonderland lift is on hold at the start of the day. Niseko Annupuri The top Jumbo Number 4 lift is on hold at the start of the day due to poor visibility. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6am: -5℃, 5cm snowfall and calm morning. Moiwa 800m: -6℃, 15cm snowfall and moderate development of snowdrifts. Mikaeri Cat track: -6℃, SW5m/s, 15cm snowfall with moderate snowdrift development. Hirafu peak ridge: -10℃, SW8m/s, 10cm snowfall. Benkei cape: SSW7m/s. Kamui cape: E6m/s, 1014hPa, 0.7m waves. About 10cm of new snow fell overnight as a small low-pressure system rolled in. The snow is in crystal form almost not affected by the wind, and there are no notable developments of snowdrifts. The snowpack above Feb 24th’s temperature change layer is stable, a notable Mar 2nd layer will form as well as today’s layer will be a noticeable one in the future snowpack. According to today’s observations, the general avalanche hazard level is low, however stabilization in areas around cornices, knolls and steep drops in 1000m elevation and higher is delayed. Be prudent and be ready. Peak gates will open from the morning. Listen to the ski patrol’s instructions before stepping out of the gates. Inform the patrols early in case you need help, going out of bounds in late afternoon is not recommended, search and rescue operation becomes difficult and dangerous a night. This information is released for the sake of resort users going out of bounds. Today’s snow is not bad at all. --- Official resort snow depths as of Thursday 3rd March 2016: Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Top - 410cm Base - 180cm Niseko Village Top - 380cm Base - 190cm Niseko Annupuri Top - 390cm Base - 190cm Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Thursday 3rd March 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 915cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 72 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 38cm (17th February) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 244cm reported on 17 days January 2016 snowfall 303cm reported on 26 days February 2016 snowfall 266cm reported on 22 days March 2016 snowfall 41cm 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

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 20cm Snowfall at base this season 874cm Posted on Saturday 27th February 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here The official upper snow depth of Niseko Grand Hirafu breaks through the 4m mark this morning. But what is of more immediate interest is the 20cm of fresh snow on the ground again this morning so once again tracks should be filled in and it should be a fine morning out there. I'm writing this and taking the webcam images at 8am and I see there's already quite a few people lined up waiting for the Ace Number 2 quad. It may be a pain waiting 30+ minutes, but I'm sure it'll be worth it once again. I just noticed that even at yesterday we had more snow during the month of February 2016 than we did during the month of December 2015. Check this out: This season December 2015: 244cm January 2016: 303cm February 2016: 266cm (up until and including today) Last season December 2014: 519cm January 2015: 257cm February 2015: 196cm Not bad at all! I'll do a full round up of number stuff once we get into March. Back to today. It's keeping cold still, and snow is still falling. The report below mentions calm conditions but as we approach opening time for lifts it does look like there'll be disruptions to many of the top lifts with stronger winds up on upper areas. Details as they are at 8:30am shown below. The forecast remains good for the coming week with continued regular snowfall. Yey! Have a great day if you are here in Niseko and a fun weekend wherever you are. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6am: -8℃, 20cm of crystal snow and calm morning. Moiwa 800m: -11℃, SW10m/s, 25cm snowfall. Mikaeri 700m: -10.8℃, 30cm snowfall. Annupuri 1150m: NW10m/s, 20cm snowfall. Hirafu Peak Ridge: -13℃, mild wind, 25cm snowfall. Benkei cape: NW14m/s, Kamui cape WNW11m/s, 1023hPa, wave height unknown. The isobars are spacing out and the weather is calm. The overnight snowfall is light and good, most tracks are filled in. The stabilization of the cornices and snowdrifts that have developed in the past couple of days (westerly wind 15-20m/s) is delayed due to cold temperature and are likely to crack. Pit-checks and ski test should be done with a rope & harness. 60cm surface slab avalanche from Feb 24th layer is likely to occur in 1100m elevation leeside cornice/knolls terrain. Be extra prudent in the Backbowl sidealls, Osawa cornice and Higashi-One cornice area. Beware of falling into cracks and hitting trees. Please follow the ski patrol’s instructions at the gates. It is severely prohibited by the Niseko Rules to duck any ropes, enter strictly off-limits areas and ignore the patrol’s orders. Lifts passes will be confiscated. Have a nice day. Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Saturday 27th February 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 874cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 69 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 38cm (17th February) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 244cm reported on 17 days January 2016 snowfall 303cm reported on 26 days February 2016 snowfall 266cm 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 12cm Snowfall at base this season 928cm Posted on Thursday 10th March 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here And I have good news. Yes, there's a nice layer of fresh new snow on the ground this morning. 12cm of it. And it does look lovely. It's mostly cloudy at the moment here at base with perhaps snow still falling higher up on the mountain, but things are generally calm and all of the lifts are moving as planned. Actually, since I have been preparing this report there's some blue sky as well to see now and the sun has started to shine through my window. So fresh snow to enjoy this morning. There'll still be that somewhat icy layer under it though so remember not to get too carried away! I'm off out there myself now. Speak again tomorrow when hopefully there might be a few more cm to report. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6.00am: -8°C, calm, 15cm new snow, no snowdrift development. Moiwa 838m: -9.2°C, ENE0.7m/s. Annupuri 1150m: -11 °C, 15cm new snow, no snowdrift development. Hirafu Ridgeline: -14°C, 10cm new snow, calm. Coastal data: Benkei Cape:WSW3m/s. Kamui Cape S5m/s, 1019hPa, wave 0.8m. Atmospheric pressure gradient is shallow and weather is calm. Cold air has flowed into the area bringing 10-15cm new snow. There is no new snowdrift development. From observation, the new snow over the 8th Mar layer, general avalanche risk is low. However at higher elevations there is a possibility of 20cm surface slab avalanches on wind effected, open steep slopes. The new snow is good but you will still be hitting the icy surface underneath. Be careful loosing control and hitting trees. Cracks are hidden, ride cautiously. A weak front is expected to pass through around noon, with an increase in wind and snow. Be careful of a sudden change in weather. All peak gates are expected to be open. Listen to the patrols advice and be prepared before going out of bounds. People are still ducking ropes to enter strictly off limits areas. Your freedom to ride out of bounds is protected by the Niseko Rules. However with freedom comes responsibility. If one person ducks a rope lots of others will follow, increasing the chances of an accident. For the safety of everyone, respect and follow the Niseko Rules. If caught breaking the rules, expect severe treatment. --- Official resort snow depths as of Thursday 10th March 2016: Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Top - 360cm Base - 150cm Niseko Village Top - 370cm Base - 160cm Niseko Annupuri Top - 370cm Base - 160cm Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Thursday 10th March 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 928cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 74 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 38cm (17th February) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 244cm reported on 17 days January 2016 snowfall 303cm reported on 26 days February 2016 snowfall 266cm reported on 22 days March 2016 snowfall 54cm reported on 5 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 24cm Snowfall at base this season 964cm Posted on Saturday 12th March 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here What a lovely Saturday morning it is. I don't mean that the sun is out and it's clear blue skies... no, we have 24cm of fresh snow on the ground here at Hirafu base and surely more than that up on the mountain. Just about right that isn't it, 20+cm. Fantastic to see so much snow overnight and here on the 12th March, must admit I was not expecting this. There was a hint of sun just bit earlier on, but right now it's back to snowing with limited visibility. The skies might just clear up though during the day today. It does look likely to get a bit warmer from tomorrow - sunshine tomorrow morning? - but there is some more snow lined up on the forecast for Monday-Tuesday. We can't escape the fact that it is indeed approaching mid-March now so spring is inevitably going to start winning through sometime soon. In the meantime though, it's a fab mid-winter like morning here now! I hope you can get to enjoy it. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6.00am: -6°C, light winds, 25cm new snow. Moiwa 838m: -8.9°C, light winds, 30cm new snow. Mikaeri: 35cm new snow, no snow drift development. Annupuri 1000m: snowpack 300cm. Hirafu Ridgeline: -11°C, light winds, 20cm new snow. Coastal data: Benkei Cape:NNW10m/s. Kamui Cape W5m/s, 1020hPa, wave 1.0m. Atmospheric pressure gradient is shallow and winds are calm. However cold air at higher elevations is continuing to produce snow. From observation there is no notable snowdrift development. Under 1000m avalanche risk is low. On north faces, steep slopes above 1200m and leeward cornice slopes the slab on top of the Mar 9th layer is stabilsing, but due to the increased weight from the continued snowfall these slabs could fracture from sudden stimulation, such as a cornice breaking, fracturing up to 50cm. Avoid riding in the valley bottoms-> this is the avalanche path. There are many cracks appearing just below ridgelines, many are hidden by new snow. Use caution. Do not enter strictly off limits areas. Do not duck any of the ropes. All peak gates are expected to be open. Snow in the forest is good. Have a good day. --- Official resort snow depths as of Saturday 12th March 2016: Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Top - 395cm Base - 170cm Niseko Village Top - 360cm Base - 160cm Niseko Annupuri Top - 380cm Base - 180cm Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Saturday 12th March 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 964cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 76 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 38cm (17th February) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 244cm reported on 17 days January 2016 snowfall 303cm reported on 26 days February 2016 snowfall 266cm reported on 22 days March 2016 snowfall 90cm 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 12cm Snowfall at base this season 940cm Posted on Friday 11th March 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Good morning to you all from my secret base here in Hirafu and - just like yesterday - there's 12cm of fresh snow to report since I last posted. Nice. It ended up snowing through lots of the day yesterday and with the Avalanche Report saying 20cm of snow up at Moiwa and I'm hearing similar from Grand Hirafu staff on mountain, it should be a good morning. Things are keeping nice and cold as well and feeling suitably winter-y this morning and decent snow falling as I write this. With more snow expected today and tomorrow as well, hopefully there'll be another decent number to report tomorrow and conditions should be good for the start of the weekend. Today is one of those rare days when I'm going to try and get first tracks in. So hope to see you out there. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6.00am: -6°C, calm, 15cm new crystal snow. Moiwa 838m: -9.2°C, NE1.0m/s, 20cm new snow, minor snowdrift development. Hirafu Ridgeline: -10°C, 15cm new snow, calm. Annupuri 1000m: snowpack 300cm. Annupuri 1150m: W15m/s, 15cm new snow, snowdrift development. Coastal data: Benkei Cape:W5m/s. Kamui Cape NW6m/s, 1015hPa, wave 1.1m. Atmospheric pressure gradient is shallow and below 1100m weather is calm. Take care on western sides of the mountain above 1100m (Osawa, upper levels of Kozan no sawa), the developing snow drifts are forming slabs. There is possibility of surface slab avalanches up to 30cm thickness on steep slopes fracturing on Mar 9th layer. Some areas of the mountain are completely bare of new snow, exposing the icy Mar 9th layer, take care slipping in these areas. Snow below 1000m is good in the trees and old surface completely buried in new snow. All peak gates are expected to open. Out of bounds areas are not managed. Listen to the patrols advice before leaving the ski area. Wind is expected to pick up around noon again. Be careful of a sudden change in weather. The mountains are back to winter conditions. Have a good day. --- Official resort snow depths as of Friday 11th March 2016: Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Top - 380cm Base - 160cm Niseko Village Top - 370cm Base - 160cm Niseko Annupuri Top - 370cm Base - 160cm Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Friday 11th March 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 940cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 75 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 38cm (17th February) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 244cm reported on 17 days January 2016 snowfall 303cm reported on 26 days February 2016 snowfall 266cm reported on 22 days March 2016 snowfall 66cm 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 10cm Snowfall at base this season 884cm Posted on Tuesday 1st March 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here 10:30AM UPDATE Looks like lower lifts at Niseko Grand Hirafu and Niseko Village are now moving! --- ORIGINAL REPORT It's full-on stormy blizzard conditions again this morning. Yesterday a few lower lifts did remain open as far as I can tell, but I suspect that today the mountain will be completely closed. Very strong winds, snow and very limited visibility out there. It's difficult to give a good reading today in terms of snowfall due to the wind blowing it all about everywhere but I notice the Avalanche Report is mentioning a whopping 40cm. Not like that here at my base, but that's the number I need to report. A bit mad out there. Hopefully come tomorrow the storm conditions will have eased off and allow the lifts to get going again though we are expecting snow to continue falling perhaps into tomorrow morning. After that it does look like there'll be less snow to expect through into the weekend. More on that tomorrow... In the meantime take care. Best not to be out driving - or out at all - in this kind of weather. --- So here we are in March 2016 already. Once things get into March, lots of perhaps somewhat ‘less dedicated’ folk who enjoy a bit of skiing and snowboarding in peak winter months turn their thoughts to things like cherry blossom viewing and such like. It always seems way too soon though, especially for us up here in Hokkaido where some main resorts are open into May and the cherry blossoms are still a long way off. And we're experiencing a blizzard! But that is the way it happens. Fresh snowfall starts to get less regular once we enter the latter section of the season, but in some seasons March can offer us some excellent surprises. Visitors who chose to come during this part of the season can feel very happy to have dropped on with good timing - or less so. It’s more of a gamble and I suppose that is why the peak season is more expensive! Some people will still be visiting from overseas this month, though in less numbers than during January and February. One of the other fun things about later season is being able to enjoy Niseko with less people competing for fresh tracks. Anyway, here’s an updated look at some numbers which some of you may find interesting. First of all, my observed snowfall numbers which are recorded by myself here at Hirafu base: November 2015: 61cm November 2014: 30cm November 2013: 123cm December 2015: 244cm December 2014: 519cm December 2013: 275cm January 2016: 303cm January 2015: 257cm January 2014: 461cm February 2016: 266cm February 2015: 196cm February 2014: 178cm It was a slow start in December, but we enjoyed a decent January and lots of good and regular snowfall in February as well... 15/16 season so far (at end February 2016): 877cm 14/15 season so far (at end February 2015): 1002cm 13/14 season so far (at end February 2014): 1037cm We caught up a bit on the ‘season total’ with the decent snowfall during February, but it’s still 125cm-160m less than the previous two seasons. How much snowfall can we perhaps expect to enjoy in March? Last season, I observed 139cm which accounted for 12.4% of the total snowfall for the season (meaning that 87.6% of the total snowfall for the season had fallen by the end of February 2016). For the season before the number was 113cm (accounting for 10.8% of the total). >>> Let's also take a look at the official February snowfall numbers published by the Japan Meteorological Agency. As always let me explain that these numbers are taken from Kutchan town which is at a slightly lower elevation than my observations here at Hirafu base (so you would generally expect them to be less). February 2016: 208cm February 2015: 167cm February 2014: 130cm February 2013: 228cm February 2012: 216cm February 2011: 142cm February 2010: 184cm February 2009: 235cm February 2008: 228cm February 2007: 158cm I make the average of those numbers over the last 10 seasons to be 189cm, so February 2016 has been ‘above average’ this season. 15/16 season so far at end of January 2016: 696cm 14/15 season so far at end of January 2015: 825cm 13/14 season so far at end of January 2014: 804cm 12/13 season so far at end of January 2013: 900cm 11/12 season so far at end of January 2012: 937cm 10/11 season so far at end of January 2011: 810cm 09/10 season so far at end of January 2010: 864cm 08/09 season so far at end of January 2009: 847cm 07/08 season so far at end of January 2009: 849cm 06/07 season so far at end of January 2009: 661cm The average of that lot is 819cm, so we are ‘below average’ for the season so far by over 1m… the main factor of course being the slow start to the season. >>> If you have been following some of the other ‘Now’ daily reports on SnowJapan, you will be aware that many regions of Japan this season have had some uncharacteristically small amounts of snowfall, and the season has been something of a struggle. Very un-Japan like - and it’s important to realise that as well. Luckily we haven’t had anything like those issues up here and especially considering the bigger Japan picture, we’ve done very well indeed I think. It will be interesting to see how March and beyond turns out. I hope it will be a good one for us here in Niseko and all of the other regions of Japan as well. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6am: -3℃, 40cm new snow, stormy. Moiwa 800m, Annupuri 1150m and Hirafu 1000m inaccessible, data not available. Moiwa 838m: -7℃. Benkei cape: NW39m/s at 4am, 18m/s at 6am. Kamui cape: NNE23m/s at 6am, 998hPa, waveheight unknown. Maximum scale snowstorm is hitting Hokkaido, severe traffic hindrance and many accidents occurring. If your car gets stuck in a snowdrift, turn the engine off and wait for rescue. The strong Low-pressure system (986hPa) passed and brought heavy snowfall. The atmospheric pressure is starting to rise, however the isobar spacing is tight and the storm is persisting. A hoar layer has developed as the warm air flown in yesterday (Feb 29th layer) and is sitting just below today’s new snowfall. Naturally occurring surface slab avalanches of 90+cm crown are highly likely to occur in areas above 800m. Stay away from the bowls/valleys a while after the storm has calmed down. Visibility is also poor and the snow deep & heavy in the trees. Better stay indoors in this morning; high chances of losing way in the storm. Have a nice day. --- Official resort snow depths as of Tuesday 1st March 2016: Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Top - 390cm Base - 170cm Niseko Village Top - 360cm Base - 180cm Niseko Annupuri Top - 385cm Base - 195cm Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Tuesday 1st March 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 884cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 70 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 38cm (17th February) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 244cm reported on 17 days January 2016 snowfall 303cm reported on 26 days February 2016 snowfall 266cm reported on 22 days March 2016 snowfall 10cm 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 1cm Snowfall at base this season 916cm Posted on Friday 4th March 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Just 1cm of snowfall from yesterday to add to the snowfall numbers this morning. It's a lovely sunny and calm morning and keeping cold too. There are blue skies all around with just a few clouds here and there, including a rather fetching 'hat' being worn by Mt Yotei. And why not. It might be a cold start to the day but we are expecting something of a warm up over the next few days and temperatures are expected to venture into positive numbers tomorrow (more sunshine) and Sunday in particular. Let's hope they don't venture too far. Sunday might be a day to have marked down for 'other plans' because as well as the warmth there's also a very good chance that it will be raining. Yuck. But once we get to Monday it should start getting colder once again and there's more snow on the forecast for Tuesday. I'll off out for a few hours skiing. Might see you out there! --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6am: -8℃, 5cm snowfall. Moiwa 800m: -9℃, 5cm snowfall with overnight snowdrift development. Mikaeri 740m: 15cm snowfall and large snowdrift development. Annupuri 1150m: -11℃, good groomers condition and no notable development of snowdrifts. Snowpack depth 295cm at 1000m. Hirafu peak ridge: -9℃, mild wind, no notable snowdrift development. Coastal data Benkei cape: NNE3m/s, Kamui cape N2m/s, 1030hPa, 0.7m waves. Calm ocean and mountains under the high-pressure system. Some light snow fell over night and the westerly wind that blew yesterday evening made the snow move and develop cornices and hard slabs snowdrifts in some ridges above 800m. The cornices could collapse with the slightest stimulation. There are 2 notable layers in the upper snowpack, but mostly stable, the hazard for large avalanche is low. The snow is in good shape, peak gates will open from the morning. Listen to the ski patrol’s instructions, be prepared before you step out of the gates. 100% safety is not possible in the out of bounds, you evaluate the risks and consequences. Better not underestimate the dangers, as well as not overestimate your experience, skills or equipment. Most accidents can be avoided by being prudent. Have a nice day. Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Friday 4th March 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 916cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 73 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 38cm (17th February) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 244cm reported on 17 days January 2016 snowfall 303cm reported on 26 days February 2016 snowfall 266cm reported on 22 days March 2016 snowfall 42cm reported on 4 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 970cm Posted on Sunday 20th March 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Good morning from here in Niseko. And after the rain, there's a little bit of snow to report... there's just about enough for me to record 1cm of fresh to the report. I think 9mm deserves a 1cm, ne? That's nowhere near enough of course to cover up the frozen and 'hard and lumpy' (as the Avalanche report puts it) conditions out there this morning. So take care, it's not soft and fluffy. As I write this report it's snowing a bit but the sun is actually shining through my window as well and I can see some patches of blue sky. Might it actually clear up? Currently the temperature is hovering just above zero here at base. The forecast is looking quite interesting though with what looks like the chance of regular light snow over the coming week and temperatures should keep fairly low, if not mid-winter low (but we can't really expect that in the second half of March). So there is a chance that I will be bringing you some fresh snowfall numbers in the coming days. Night operations plan to finish tomorrow night so just two more changes. --- Resort specific lift opening news at time of posting (subject to change during the day): Niseko Grand Hirafu The top Ace Number 4, King Number 4, Ace Number 3 and King Number 3 lifts are on hold at the start of the day due to strong winds and poor visibility. Niseko HANAZONO Resort The top Hanazono Number 3 lift is on hold at the start of the day. Niseko Village The Niseko Gondola and top Wonderland Chair lifts are on hold at the start of the day. Niseko Annupuri The Annupuri Gondola and top Jumbo Number 4 lift are on hold at the start of the day due to strong winds. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6.00am: -3°C, trace new snow. Moiwa 838m: -5°C, E6.6m/s, trace new snow. Annupuri 1150m: -6°C, N15m/s, trace new snow, hard icy snow surface below new snow. Hirafu Ridgeline: -6°C, moderate NE winds, trace new snow. Coastal data: Benkei Cape:NE13m/s. Kamui Cape ESE3m/s, 1013hPa, wave 2.0m. The rain has stopped and a moderate atmospheric pressure gradient is causing strong northerly winds at higher elevations. Weather has improved however expect intermittent flurries and cooler temperatures today. Be careful riding this morning, yesterdays warm wet snow has frozen and is hard and lumpy. There are some snow drifts formed though. From observation, except for small scale slabs, the risk of surface avalanches is low. However the risk of large scale full depth avalanches is increasing. Avoid riding in the valley bottoms. Peak gate openings are yet to be decided and are subject to lift operations. Today's snow conditions are difficult judge while riding, so take extra care. The surface is very hard and could hurt if you take a fall. If you can't walk to the gates by yourself, we recommend you stay inbounds. Have a good day. --- Official resort snow depths as of Sunday 20th March 2016: Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Top - 345cm Base - 125cm Niseko Village Top - 340cm Base - 130cm Niseko Annupuri Top - 360cm Base - 140cm Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Sunday 20th March 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 970cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 78 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 38cm (17th February) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 244cm reported on 17 days January 2016 snowfall 303cm reported on 26 days February 2016 snowfall 266cm reported on 22 days March 2016 snowfall 96cm 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 5cm Snowfall at base this season 969cm Posted on Sunday 13th March 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Hello from Niseko on this Sunday morning. 5cm more snow to report this morning - this is snow that fell yesterday. There were some spells of clearer conditions after that and we enjoyed a clear evening and a very cold night so no further snow overnight. This morning we woke to a mix of cloud and clearer skies. After that cold night it is a chilly start to the day and thankfully it doesn't feel like it's going to be warming up just yet... sometime later in the week. For the next few days we can expect a mix of sunshine, cloud and perhaps occasional snow flurries (or hopefully a bit more than flurries if we are lucky). Just a bit of news from Niseko Grand Hirafu where a few small sections are going to be closed today due to some events being held - 'Technical Prize Test' and 'One Coin Time Challenge', apparently! Areas to watch out for the part closures are the Furiko Course, part of Jumbo Course by the Swinging Monkey lift and part of the Boyo Course. They'll be back open to the public just as soon as the events are finished. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6.00am: -10°C, no new snow, calm. Moiwa 838m: -8.1°C, WSW2.8m/s, no new snow. Annupuri: -11°C, W5m/s. Annupuri 1000m: snowpack 300cm. Hirafu Ridgeline: -11°C, light winds, sunny. Coastal data: Benkei Cape:SSW4m/s. Kamui Cape S9m/s, 1024hPa, wave 0.8m. Mountain base has cooled overnight under clear sky. Currently we are under influence of high pressure system and the mountains and seas are calm. From observation the general avalanche risk is low. The 12th Mar layer is still on the surface of the snow pack and will become a notable layer in the future snow pack. Peak west ridge, Kozan no sawa sidewall(backbowl), many cracks are appearing around 1100m on south side. This winter snowdrifts are very thick and with temperature fluctuations there is high probability that full depth avalanches will occur on south facing slopes earlier than usual this year. In Niseko these avalanches do not only happen on warm days, they are similar to glacial avalanches and can happen anytime. Full depth avalanches happen very quickly and travel a great speed. They have a devastating impact on the valley below clearing rocks and trees over long distances. Do not ride in the valley bottom , this is the avalanche course. All peak gates are expected to be open. Snow is still good, but yesterdays tracks are still there. Have a good day. Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Sunday 13th March 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 969cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 77 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 38cm (17th February) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 244cm reported on 17 days January 2016 snowfall 303cm reported on 26 days February 2016 snowfall 266cm reported on 22 days March 2016 snowfall 95cm 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 4cm Snowfall at base this season 977cm Posted on Wednesday 23rd March 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here What's this? Snow on the ground! I measure 4cm here outside my Hirafu base which I will happily add to the ongoing total and hopefully there'll be a bit more than that up there on the upper slopes. It's not the lightest and most powdery of snow, but perhaps expecting that in the latter part of March is a bit too much. But definitely time for an early morning ride I think. Currently hovering around zero here at base and it's cloud and blue sky above. There's still similar kind of snow on the forecast over the next few days so perhaps we'll get some more cm here and there... surely nothing major though. It does look like we can expect more sun at the weekend and into early next week and slightly warmer temperatures. It's great to see (some of) the official snow depth numbers actually increasing this morning! Niseko Grand Hirafu have added 10cm, so I think I am going to go and investigate once I get this posted. See you tomorrow! --- Looks like some lifts are now 'on holiday' and relieved of duties: The Jumbo Number 3 lift at Niseko Annupuri The King Number 1 lift at Niseko Grand Hirafu --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6am: -4℃, 4cm new snow since pre-dawn. Moiwa 838m: -3.8℃, NE4.2m/s. Annupuri snowpack 310cm. Hirafu peak ridge: -6℃, light wind, 2cm snowfall. Benkei cape: NNE8m/s, Kamui cape: N6m/s, 1009hPa, 0.9m waves. Similar pressure pattern as yesterday, but the westerly wind calmed down and a thin blanket of new snow covers the mountain. Shallow avalanches are to be expected in steep slopes of the Backbowl and Higashi-One as the temperature rises. The snow is little wet and heavy but not in bad shape in the trees. No more deep powder, however the weather is stable and relatively good skiing conditions continues. Stay away from the valley bottoms to avoid full depth slides. Those giant avalanches occurring from Osawa and Backbowl 1100m leeward slopes run for a very long distance and are extremely destructive, cleaning everything on its way. These slides can simply be avoided by not being in the valley bottoms. All gates are scheduled to open from the morning. Refrain from ducking ropes, one track left under the rope leads many others to do the same and unnecessarily increase the chances of accidents to happen. The purpose of the Niseko Rules is to protect the freedom of out of bounds riding; violators will be severely prosecuted. Spring is here, have a great day. Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Wednesday 23rd March 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 977cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 80 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 38cm (17th February) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 244cm reported on 17 days January 2016 snowfall 303cm reported on 26 days February 2016 snowfall 266cm reported on 22 days March 2016 snowfall 103cm 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