Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 12cm Snowfall at base this season 1064cm Posted on Wednesday 5th March 2014 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Yesterday was actually really good out there on the snow, very nice conditions were to be found. Today should be better. It was snowing hard at times yesterday, really coming down in the evening, and this morning there's another 10-15cm to report. It's not as cold actually as it has been and just around -3 degrees now and snow is forecast on and off for the day. Should be colder from tomorrow and snow is lined up on the forecast every day right through into next week. Nice! --- Niseko Avalanche Report Niseko base 6am: -5C, 25cm of low pressure generated crystal snow in the past 12 hours. Moiwa 800m: calm wind, -6C, 25cm of fresh, light development of snowdrifts. Annupuri 1150m: SW5m/s, -6C, 25cm of fresh, white-out, snowpack 315cm. Peak 1308m: S3.1m/s, -8.2℃. Hirafu 1000m: -6C, 20cm of fresh, white-out. Coastal data: cape Benkei SSW2m/s, cape Kamui SSW3m/s, 0.6m waves, 1016hPa. March 3-4th slab has stabilized and the avalanche risk in predominant slopes is low. The snow in the trees has been reset and in good shape. Today’s snow is of a passing low-pressure system and could trigger soft-slab avalanche in steep slopes. Caution is still required. Thick fog is present above 1000m due to air-mass transposition; visibility is very bad. Peak gates opening is yet to be determined, please follow the ski patrol’s instructions. Do not duck ropes. Better not stimulate knolls and cornices, especially in poor visibility. Beware of falling into cracks; they are hardly visible from above. The wind will pick up as the visibility turns better. Beware of sudden weather changes. Collapsing cornice hazard is persisting above 800m. Have a nice, long waited powder day. --- Official snow depth numbers and lift news at time of writing: Grand Hirafu / Hanazono: Top - 390cm Base - 190cm Niseko Village: Top - 350cm Base - 200cm Annupuri: Top - 380cm Base - 200cm Niseko Now 2013-2014 season Data as of Wednesday 5th March 2014 Total snowfall at base so far 1064cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 83 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 40cm (14th January) November 2013 snowfall 123cm reported on 9 days December 2013 snowfall 275cm reported on 22 days January 2014 snowfall 461cm reported on 29 days February 2014 snowfall 178cm reported on 20 days March 2014 snowfall 27cm 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 5cm Snowfall at base this season 1052cm Posted on Tuesday 4th March 2014 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here An early report this morning - once this is posted I'm off to Sapporo for the day. Yesterday was actually quite a lot of fun out there. Well, at least I did and the people I was with seemed to be enjoying themselves. Not classic Niseko of course, but it was just great to get that fresh snow feel back. This morning there's a bit more snow to report 4-5cm or so. It is cloudy with light snow falling just at the moment. We are still looking on for snowfall through the week into Saturday. --- Niseko Avalanche Report Niseko base 6am: -7C, 3cm of broken particle snow overnight. Moiwa 800m: W12m/s, -11C, 3cm of fresh and development of snowdrifts. Annupuri1150m: W20m/s, -15C, snowdrift development, snowpack 315cm. Hirafu 1000m: -11C, development of snowdrifts. Peak 1308m: NW15.6m/s, -15.1℃. Coastal data: Cape Benkei NNW13m/s, Cape Kamui WNW11m/s, 2.5m waves, 1024hPa. Although snowfall is small, the wind has been strong and snowdrifts due to moving snow has been developing drastically since yesterday. These new snowdrifts are extremely unstable and could easily cause an avalanche. Avalanche risk is high today. Peak gates will be closed, please follow the ski patrol’s instructions. Do not duck ropes. The groomers condition is in good shape, but snow in ungroomed treeruns is tricky. Ice balls, blocks, frozen tracks and cracks are hiding underneath the surface. The slopes are hard to evaluate due to flat light; stay in controlled speed. Newly formed cornices will largely collapse with a slight stimulation. Be prudent! Avalanches are not the only hazards in winter mountains. Have a nice day. --- Official snow depth numbers and lift news at time of writing: Grand Hirafu / Hanazono: Top - 375cm Base - 180cm Niseko Village: Top - 350cm Base - 200cm Annupuri: Top - 360cm Base - 200cm Niseko Now 2013-2014 season Data as of Tuesday 4th March 2014 Total snowfall at base so far 1052cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 82 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 40cm (14th January) November 2013 snowfall 123cm reported on 9 days December 2013 snowfall 275cm reported on 22 days January 2014 snowfall 461cm reported on 29 days February 2014 snowfall 178cm reported on 20 days March 2014 snowfall 15cm 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 2cm Snowfall at base this season 1034cm Posted on Sunday 23rd February 2014 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Just a few more cm of fresh snow to report this morning. After the clear start to the weekend yesterday, we're back to more cloudy conditions this morning. Light snow earlier but no snow falling right now as I write this. There's just a light wind and a temperature of about -6 degrees. So just a cloudy day today perhaps? The forecast continues to tell us to expect sun and clearer skies again tomorrow and the first part of the week. It is also going to be milder and temperatures at base may venture into positive territory. --- Niseko Avalanche Report Niseko base 6am: -8C, 2cm of snowfall since dawn. Moiwa 800m: W6m/s, -9C, 5cm of fresh. Annupuri 1150m: WNW7m/s, 5cm of new snow. Hirafu 1000m: -8C, light dusts. Peak 1308m: NW10.4m/s, -12.2℃, 12 o’clock forecast NW10m/s. Coastal data: Benkei cape NNW10m/s, Kamui cape SSW3m/s, 0.7m waves, 1027hPa. Calm morning in spaced out isobars wintry pressure pattern. The overall avalanche risk is low. Peak gates will open from the morning. Please refer to the ski patrol’s advice before stepping out of the gates. The mountain is tracked out, but the snow remains good except in south facing slopes. Beware of over-speeding, hitting trees and falling into cracks. Many hazards other than avalanches are present in the mountain. This information is made to secure the minimum safety of people skiing in Niseko. Thoughtless actions can lead to serious consequences. Never overestimate yourself and be prudent. Precaution is key to avoid accidents. --- Official snow depth numbers and lift news at time of writing: Grand Hirafu / Hanazono: Top - 390cm Base - 190cm Niseko Village: Top - 360cm Base - 215cm Annupuri: Top - 355cm Base - 230cm Niseko Now 2013-2014 season Data as of Sunday 23rd February 2014 Total snowfall at base so far 1034cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 79 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 40cm (14th January) November 2013 snowfall 123cm reported on 9 days December 2013 snowfall 275cm reported on 22 days January 2014 snowfall 461cm reported on 29 days February 2014 snowfall 175cm 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 25cm Snowfall at base this season 1093cm Posted on Friday 7th March 2014 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here A very good morning from Niseko. And yes it is another good one as I have about 25cm of fresh snow to report. It is good and cold as well, and snow is continuing to fall from the skies making visibility less than great on the slopes, but conditions should make up for that. I am beginning to like this early March! Less exciting is the moderate wind again today which at the moment looks to be affecting the following lifts: Annupuri: Gondola, Jumbo 4 Village: Wonderland chair Hirafu: Ace 4, King 3, King 4 Hanazono: Hanazono Number 3 As always, that can change with the conditions so lets hope they can get those top lifts moving, but looking at the forecast we can perhaps expect windy conditions for the next few days. (The good news is that we can also expect snow and cold temps too!) --- 9:20am update More lifts closed as the winds try to spoil things.... Annupuri is completely closed, with the Ace 3 and Swinging Monkey lifts not moving at Hirafu and the Hanazono Number 2 lift also stationary. Keep an eye on the official site for real-time updates. Take a look at the report below - extreme avalanche risk. Take care out there. --- Niseko Avalanche Report Niseko base 6am: -8C, stormy, 35cm of snowfall in 12 hours. Moiwa 600m: 40cm of snowdrift development. Annupuri 1150m: W15m/s, large development of snowdrifts, -14C. Hirafu 1000m: 40cm of new snow, -13C. Peak 1308m: W14.1m/s, -16.9℃. Coastal data: cape Benkei NW18m/s, cape Kamui W13m/s, 2.8m waves, 1010hPa. The low-pressure system has grown as powerful as a Typhoon and generating a very strong winter pressure pattern. The ocean and the mountains are under a heavy storm, making snowdrifts develop drastically. According to observations and snowfall transition, the avalanche risk in Niseko range and the surrounding mountains is extreme. Peak gates will be closed. Stay away from steeps, cornices and knolls above treeline. Snowdrifts have piled up to 200cm in thickest zones. Heavily developed cornices are extremely unstable and would trigger an avalanche as they fall. Potential sliding layer is March 3rd layer, which has become a weak hoar layer due to large temperature change, and can easily let go the slab above it. The surface slab is thick, heavy and very unstable. Most accidents are caused by stimulating developing snowdrifts (slabs). Mountain conditions are ever-changing. It can be safe one day but totally change to extreme conditions the next day. --- Official snow depth numbers and lift news at time of writing: Grand Hirafu / Hanazono: Top - 410cm Base - 200cm Niseko Village: Top - 380cm Base - 210cm Annupuri: Top - 380cm Base - 200cm Niseko Now 2013-2014 season Data as of Friday 7th March 2014 Total snowfall at base so far 1093cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 85 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 40cm (14th January) November 2013 snowfall 123cm reported on 9 days December 2013 snowfall 275cm reported on 22 days January 2014 snowfall 461cm reported on 29 days February 2014 snowfall 178cm reported on 20 days March 2014 snowfall 56cm 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 4cm Snowfall at base this season 1068cm Posted on Thursday 6th March 2014 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here As expected it is colder this morning, though perhaps not as much snow as we were expecting and hoping for... less than 5cm this morning here in the village. I was just reading the Avalanche Report below and talk of 100cm of snowdrift! We certainly had some strong winds blowing about overnight so expect conditions to be patchy this morning and keep that in mind. Currently about -5 degrees here at base and the resorts reporting temperatures down to -12 at higher elevations. It is not actually snowing at the moment I write this though Annupuri reporting snow and yes we do expect there to be snow showers today. There's a bit of sun shining through the clouds now though and blue sky between here and Mt Yotei. Cold conditions and snow is still forecast right through into next week, with the chance of some quite strong winds here and there. A moderate wind this morning but for now though we appear to be opening as planned this morning. There might be a chance of changes there though... --- 9:30am update The following lifts are currently on hold due to wind: Niseko Grand Hirafu - top Ace 4, King 4 lifts Niseko Village - top Wonderland chair Niseko Annupuri - top Jumbo No4 lift --- Niseko Avalanche Report Niseko base 6am: -8C, 100cm of snowdrift have developed over the past 12 hours. Moiwa 800m: n/a. Annupuri 1000m: N12m/s, -11C, notable development of snowdrifts. Hirafu 1000m: -11C. Peak 1308m: N19.7m/s, -14.9C. Coastal data: cape Benkei NE14m/s, cape Kamui NE4m/s, 1.4m waves, 1009hPa. A strong northerly wind has persisted for 15hours and made snowdrifts develop drastically. The wind is calm at the moment, but is forecasted to pick up again shortly. The avalanche risk is extreme. Peak gates will be closed. Please follow the ski patrol’s instructions and do not duck ropes to access the out of bounds areas. Avalanche accidents are most likely to occur in slopes with drastically developed snowdrifts due to strong winds. According to snowfall and wind transition, the wind-loaded snow in SW and SE aspects is heavy and very unstable especially in steep slopes. Beware. Better not stimulate cornices and knolls (rollovers). Be prudent today, conditions are definitely sketchy. --- Official snow depth numbers and lift news at time of writing: Grand Hirafu / Hanazono: Top - 390cm Base - 180cm Niseko Village: Top - 360cm Base - 210cm Annupuri: Top - 380cm Base - 200cm Niseko Now 2013-2014 season Data as of Thursday 6th March 2014 Total snowfall at base so far 1068cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 84 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 40cm (14th January) November 2013 snowfall 123cm reported on 9 days December 2013 snowfall 275cm reported on 22 days January 2014 snowfall 461cm reported on 29 days February 2014 snowfall 178cm reported on 20 days March 2014 snowfall 31cm 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 10cm Snowfall at base this season 1123cm Posted on Sunday 9th March 2014 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Good morning from Niseko and I have about 10cm of fresh outside my door this morning here in the Hirafu village area. It has been a run of days affected by wind of course here, and we are all hoping that today will be calmer. This morning there is some blue sky visible amongst the remaining clouds and right now the sun is shining through my window. Snow clouds should not be far away though and more snow is due overnight. Temps overnight were around -5C and that's what we are at now at 8:30am. Less wind over here at Hirafu, but it does seem that there are some early issues with a few lifts over at Annupuri and Niseko Village - the Annupuri Gondola is on hold as is the Wonderland Chair at Village at the time of writing. There's also a few lifts not moving due to 'avalanche risk' - the Jumbo 4 at Annupuri; the King 4 and Ace 4 top lifts at Niseko Grand Hirafu. From what I gather they are planned to be closed for the day. Peak lifts closed aside, it should be a very fine day out on the snow. --- Niseko Avalanche Report Niseko base 6am: -7C, 20cm of broken crystal snow in the 12 hours. Moiwa 800m: W15m/s, poor visibility, -11C, snowdrift development up to 200cm in Mikaeri area. Annupuri 1150m: W18m/s, large development of snowdrifts, -12C. Hirafu 1000m: -10C, 35cm of fresh with development of snowdrifts. Peak 1308m: W10.8m/s, -14.1C. Coastal data: cape Benkei NW15m/s, cape Kamui W9m/s, 2.7m waves, 1009hPa. The isobars are spacing out and the storm is calming down, however strong wind is still persisting above 800m. Peak gates will be kept closed and all top lifts operation will be suspended. A large avalanche occurred in Mizuno no sawa knoll yesterday; it skimmed close to the gondola posts and reached the bottom of the valley. 2 other large avalanches occurred in Higashi-One, which knocked down trees on its way and ran past the CAT-track. Avalanche risk is still extreme in Niseko area and the surroundings. Stay away from cornice slopes and open steep faces. Stabilization of snowdrifts is delayed and chances of 150cm deep slides are still to be highly considered. The snow in the trees is good, but cracks are forming everywhere. Ride carefully. --- Official snow depth numbers and lift news at time of writing: Grand Hirafu / Hanazono: Top - 420cm Base - 210cm Niseko Village: Top - 390cm Base - 220cm Annupuri: Top - 395cm Base - 210cm Niseko Now 2013-2014 season Data as of Sunday 9th March 2014 Total snowfall at base so far 1123cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 87 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 40cm (14th January) November 2013 snowfall 123cm reported on 9 days December 2013 snowfall 275cm reported on 22 days January 2014 snowfall 461cm reported on 29 days February 2014 snowfall 178cm reported on 20 days March 2014 snowfall 86cm 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 6cm Snowfall at base this season 1129cm Posted on Monday 10th March 2014 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Before I looked out of the window this morning I had heard from a friend in Sapporo describing the near on 30cm of snow outside, so I thought we might be on for that and more.... but no, Sapporo wins today! So what's our haul here in Niseko? Just over 5cm of light fresh snow outside my place, with the report below saying similar. The snow continues to fall now so we should be getting more of those cm. Less wind from the go this morning so I would expect lifts to be open this morning. Over the next few days temperatures are looking likely to remain cold and snow is due to be falling from time to time. Winter is sticking around for a while longer. --- Niseko Avalanche Report Niseko base 6am: -7C, 8cm of new snow in 12 hours. Moiwa 800m: calm wind, -9C, 5cm of fresh. Annupuri 1150m: NW5m/s, -13C, 5cm of fresh, 320cm snowpack. Hirafu 1000m: -11C, 5cm of new snow. Peak 1308m: NNW5.5m/s, -13.2C. Coastal data: cape Benkei WSW2m/s, cape Kamui E2m/s, 0.6m waves, 1007hPa. The isobar gradient in western sea of Japan is small and the mountain is under a calm weather. The snowdrift development has settle down and the snowpack is stabilizing. The overnight snowfall is due to a passing small low-pressure system. The general avalanche risk is relatively low, however caution is still required in 40° steep slopes as slides and sluffs are still very likely to occur. Collapsing cornices can also trigger larger avalanches as they fall. Be extra prudent around cornices of the Backbowl (Kozan no sawa), Higashi-One, Osawa (Annupur bowl) and Mikaeri bowl (Moiwa). Stay away from valley bottoms. A thin layer of fast snow is blanketing the snowpack in the trees. Peak gates' opening is yet to be determined. Please follow the ski patrol’s instructions and refrain from ducking ropes. One track left under the rope will lead many others to do the same and increase the chances of accidents to happen. Look out for cracks! Have a nice day. --- Official snow depth numbers and lift news at time of writing: Grand Hirafu / Hanazono: Top - 415cm Base - 210cm Niseko Village: Top - 390cm Base - 220cm Annupuri: Top - 395cm Base - 200cm Niseko Now 2013-2014 season Data as of Monday 10th March 2014 Total snowfall at base so far 1129cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 88 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 40cm (14th January) November 2013 snowfall 123cm reported on 9 days December 2013 snowfall 275cm reported on 22 days January 2014 snowfall 461cm reported on 29 days February 2014 snowfall 178cm reported on 20 days March 2014 snowfall 92cm 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 2cm Snowfall at base this season 1141cm Posted on Saturday 15th March 2014 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Just a couple of cm of fresh snow to report this morning in Niseko. Light snow is falling this morning though and it feels a bit more winter-like. It is colder this morning but there's much less wind than there was yesterday, so the ski lifts should all be operating as normal today. The forecast for the day is cloud and snow at times, with a similar look to the forecast for tomorrow as well. The sun may pop in for greetings from time to time as well through the clouds. So we are now half way through March of course. I have observed 104cm of snow since the beginning of the month which it turns out is almost the same as what I observed at the same point of last season. Last year 164cm was observed for the whole of the month of March (with over 60cm in the second half of the month). JMA are so far recording 99cm of snow in Kutchan town this month. The total snowfall recorded by JMA in Kutchan town for March last season was 124cm. --- Niseko Avalanche Report Niseko base 6am: -5C, 5cm of crystal snow in 12 hours. Moiwa peak: n/a. Annupuri 1000m: NW8m/s, -11C, 5cm of new snow and development of snowdrifts, snowpack 340cm. Hirafu 1000m: mild wind, 5cm fresh snow, -9C. Peak 1308m: NW8.9m/s, -11.4C. Coastal data: cape Benkei NW13m/s, cape Kamui WSW2m/s, 0.8mwaves, 1-14hPa. Northerly wind picked up during the night and cornices are slowly developing above 1000m altitude. Feathery crystal snow started to fall since early morning and the snow in the trees is getting better. According to observations and data evaluation, the general avalanche risk is low, however shallow slides are to be expected in Higashi-One cornice areas and Backbowl 1100m sidewalls. Ride one by one, be conscious of the risks and avoid riding the bottom of the valleys. Peak gates will open from the morning. The snow around the courses is really good. Sun-baked surfaces are forming slabs in south facing slopes under 800m. Thin slides from March 14th layer are to be expected around cliffs and under lift-lines in the afternoon. Do not duck ropes to access the out of bounds areas, always use the gates. Have a nice day. --- Official snow depth numbers and lift news at time of writing: Grand Hirafu / Hanazono: Top - 390cm Base - 190cm Niseko Village: Top - 390cm Base - 200cm Annupuri: Top - 395cm Base - 200cm Niseko Now 2013-2014 season Data as of Saturday 15th March 2014 Total snowfall at base so far 1141cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 91 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 40cm (14th January) November 2013 snowfall 123cm reported on 9 days December 2013 snowfall 275cm reported on 22 days January 2014 snowfall 461cm reported on 29 days February 2014 snowfall 178cm reported on 20 days March 2014 snowfall 104cm reported on 11 days Previous report Next report All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Kutchan/Niseko. The 'new snowfall' number represents the amount of snow measured since the previous report. All opinions are those of the individual reporters. Information regarding ski area operations is manually checked every morning and is believed to be correct at the time of the report. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 5cm Snowfall at base this season 1134cm Posted on Tuesday 11th March 2014 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here 5cm of fresh snow this morning to report from here in Hirafu village area. It doesn't feel quite as cold this morning, and the sun is out. It's a bit overcast feeling at the moment and actually some local forecasts tell us that there might even be some snowfall today. Doesn't feel likely at the moment but as we all know here things can change very quickly - case in point yesterday when conditions were changing very quickly. There's generally less snowfall on the weekly forecast now but we can expect temperatures to remain fairly cold even if we see more of the sun. --- Niseko Avalanche Report Niseko base 6am: -6C, 5cm of snow in 12 hours. Moiwa 800m: NW10m/s, -9C, 10cm of fresh, moderate development of snowdrifts. Annupuri 1150m: W15m/s, -11C, light snowfall, 320cm snowpack. Hirafu 1000m: -9C, 10cm of fresh, snowdrift development. Peak 1308m: NW12.5m/s, -11C. Coastal data: cape Benkei NNW4m/s, cape Kamui E3m/s, 1.8m waves, 1016hPa. The isobars gradient is small; snowfall and snowdrift development is small. Some snowclouds are still present over the sea of Japan due to a small low-pressure. Intermittent snowfall is forecasted throughout the day. The snow in the trees is good and the avalanche hazard under 900m altitude is low. However slides from March 10th layer are still considerable in cornice slopes and open steeps. Caution is required in 1000m Backbowl, Osawa and Higashi-One area. Peak gates will open from the morning. Be prepared and geared up for the backcountry. Cornices have grown huge. Anyone caught in a falling cornice will face serious consequences. Do not stay under cornices. Cracks are wide open and deep, beware of falling in them. Carrying 15m of a 7mm rope is recommended. Always ride with a partner as they would notice if anything happens. Do you have your beacon switched on? Carrying a beacon is not mandatory, however strongly recommended. Beware of sudden weather changes. Have a nice day. --- Official snow depth numbers and lift news at time of writing: Grand Hirafu / Hanazono: Top - 410cm Base - 205cm Niseko Village: Top - 390cm Base - 220cm Annupuri: Top - 395cm Base - 200cm Niseko Now 2013-2014 season Data as of Tuesday 11th March 2014 Total snowfall at base so far 1134cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 89 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 40cm (14th January) November 2013 snowfall 123cm reported on 9 days December 2013 snowfall 275cm reported on 22 days January 2014 snowfall 461cm reported on 29 days February 2014 snowfall 178cm reported on 20 days March 2014 snowfall 97cm 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 1139cm Posted on Wednesday 12th March 2014 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here It's another 5cm of so of fresh snow this morning. The sun is out, it's calm and it's a fine morning. Clouds are due to move back in later in during the day and we may see some more snowfall overnight. --- Niseko Avalanche Report Niseko base 6am: -10C, 5cm of new snow in 12 hours. Moiwa 800m: -11C, 15cm of fresh and light development of snowdrifts. Annupuri 1150m: -11C, 10cm of fresh with light development of snowdrifts, snowpack 320cm. Hirafu 1000m: -10C, 10cm of fresh, calm weather. Peak 1308m: N2.9m/s, -12.1C. Coastal data: cape Benkei calm, cape Kamui S2m/s, 0.5m waves, 1020hPa. The isobars are spaced out and the weather is calm. No notable development of snowdrifts has been observed and the general avalanche risk is low. Peak gates will open from the morning. Hard slabs are forming in some areas above 1100m and could slide with ski stimulation. Stay cautious. The snow in the trees has been reset and is in wonderful conditions. Beware of cracks; it is strongly recommended to carry a rope in case you or your partner falls into one. Put a ski or something hard under and perpendicular to the rope when pulling the victim up. Can you make a bowline knot? Cornice fall is a permanent hazard, and skiing out of bounds involves many other risks. Better not overestimate skills and knowledge; remain humble and prudent towards the mountain. Seek for the ski patrol’s advice before stepping out of the gate. Have a nice day. --- Official snow depth numbers and lift news at time of writing: Grand Hirafu / Hanazono: Top - 410cm Base - 205cm Niseko Village: Top - 390cm Base - 220cm Annupuri: Top - 395cm Base - 200cm Niseko Now 2013-2014 season Data as of Wednesday 12th March 2014 Total snowfall at base so far 1139cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 90 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 40cm (14th January) November 2013 snowfall 123cm reported on 9 days December 2013 snowfall 275cm reported on 22 days January 2014 snowfall 461cm reported on 29 days February 2014 snowfall 178cm reported on 20 days March 2014 snowfall 102cm reported on 10 days Previous report Next report All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Kutchan/Niseko. The 'new snowfall' number represents the amount of snow measured since the previous report. All opinions are those of the individual reporters. Information regarding ski area operations is manually checked every morning and is believed to be correct at the time of the report. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 2cm Snowfall at base this season 1147cm Posted on Wednesday 19th March 2014 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Yesterday I said in the report that we were expecting rain/sleet later in the day. We got that, and more. Changeable conditions with heavy rain, sleet and snow and some strong winds added in for good measure. So no, not the best day of the season! This morning there's a few cm of rather heavy and wet snow. A cloudy start to the day with some breaks in the cloud and blue sky in places, and a temperature of 1 degree as I write this, so not as mild as it was yesterday morning. There's still a wind about but doesn't seem to be affecting lift operations though it does look like a few lifts at Grand Hirafu are a bit delayed due to some kind of maintenance. Doesn't look like there's any significant snowfall on the forecasts, just a bit here and there perhaps - later on tomorrow and Saturday. --- Niseko Avalanche Report Niseko base 6am: -4C, 5cm of wet snow in 12 hours and 5cm of crystal snow since dawn, development of snowdrifts. Moiwa peak: n/a. Annupuri 1150m: mild wind, -9C, development of unstable snowdrifts, snowpack 340cm. Hirafu 1000m: calm, -7C. Peak 1308m: no data, N23.3m/s at 11pm, -9.2C. Coastal data: no data available. Snow and wind stayed strong overnight due to strong airflow from the approaching High pressure system to the eastbound Low. Snowdrifts have developed drastically in lee-slopes and the avalanche risk is high. Heavily developed snowdrifts are extremely unstable during and immediately after storms. They collapse irrelevantly to layer compositions and can cause larger surface slab slides. The wind has calmed down as the isobars started to space out, however the snowpack stabilization will be delayed notably above 1000m. Gates 2 & 3 will be closed and others are yet to be determined. Please respect the ski patrol’s decisions. The snow in the trees has been mostly reset and good snow can be found. The avalanche hazard in surrounding mountains varies from areas, but one general rule is that the stabilization is slower in higher altitude. Conditions should be very unstable in Mt Yotei Makkari face’s “Terrace valley” above 1200m. Hardpack patches are present in the morning. Beware of falling, slipdrops, cracks and hitting trees. Prudence is key to avoid accidents. --- Official snow depth numbers and lift news at time of writing: Grand Hirafu / Hanazono: Top - 395cm Base - 185cm Niseko Village: Top - 390cm Base - 190cm Annupuri: Top - 380cm Base - 200cm Niseko Now 2013-2014 season Data as of Wednesday 19th March 2014 Total snowfall at base so far 1147cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 94 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 40cm (14th January) November 2013 snowfall 123cm reported on 9 days December 2013 snowfall 275cm reported on 22 days January 2014 snowfall 461cm reported on 29 days February 2014 snowfall 178cm reported on 20 days March 2014 snowfall 110cm 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 Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 3cm Snowfall at base this season 1144cm Posted on Sunday 16th March 2014 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Another few cm of snow this morning on the ground here in Hirafu - so hopefully/probably more than that on the mountain - and it is a fairly mild morning with temps just under zero. Resorts are reporting poor visibility early on with top lifts at Hirafu, Annupuri and Village all on hold as of 8:30am. As per forecast, cloud with light snow at times is what we seem to have today. A few people have asked us where the weather forecasts are.... if you look on the right side of this page (or indeed any of our Now reports), you will see a list of 'Nearby snow resorts'. Click on the resort you are interested in to be taken to the resort info on SnowJapan. At the top of that page you will see a large blue tab labelled 'Weather info'. That's where you will find the weather/snow forecasts - and they are updated throughout the year. You may also find some stuff you didn't know about on the site, so please do go over and take a look. --- Niseko Avalanche Report Niseko base 6am: -3C, 3cm of low-pressure snowfall. Moiwa peak: n/a. Annupuri 1150m: mild wind, -7C, thick fog, poor visibility, 3cm of fresh, snowpack 340cm. Hirafu 1000m: mild wind, -7C, light snowfall. Peak 1308m: S9.7m/s, -8.2C. Coastal data: cape Benkei SSE5m/s, cape Kamui ENE2m/s, 0.7m waves, 1013hPa. A small Low is quickly passing over southern Hokkaido. Typical small crystal snow has started to fall since 2am. This type of snow is loose and slides easily whether in steeps or trees. It is also likely to form a weak layer under future snowdrift slabs that could trigger avalanches with unclear crown. Beware of the coming snowfall transition. The snow condition is actually not too bad as the temperature gradient remained small. Peak gates will open from the morning. Listen to the ski patrol’s instructions, be geared up and step out of the gates. The visibility will be bad in the morning. The season is slowly shifting to spring, but temperature is still low. Beware of sudden weather changes and falling into cracks. Have a nice day. --- Official snow depth numbers and lift news at time of writing: Grand Hirafu / Hanazono: Top - 400cm Base - 200cm Niseko Village: Top - 390cm Base - 200cm Annupuri: Top - 395cm Base - 200cm Niseko Now 2013-2014 season Data as of Sunday 16th March 2014 Total snowfall at base so far 1144cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 92 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 40cm (14th January) November 2013 snowfall 123cm reported on 9 days December 2013 snowfall 275cm reported on 22 days January 2014 snowfall 461cm reported on 29 days February 2014 snowfall 178cm reported on 20 days March 2014 snowfall 107cm 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