Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 30cm Snowfall at base this season 505cm Posted on Monday 6th January 2014 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Good morning from Niseko and what a very good morning it is and will be. I have another 30cm or so of fresh snowfall to report from down here in the Hirafu village. It hasn't really let up since yesterday morning, so there's the answer to yesterday's 'which way will it go' question! Conditions will continue to be simply excellent. What more can I say? Just take care you don't get lost in the snow. It's supposed to ease off today and we might see some sun tomorrow, but who knows. I'll just let you know how things are tomorrow morning. Niseko being so popular is of course busy throughout the peak season but now that the New Year period is over for most people, we should be getting back to normal from today. --- Niseko Avalanche Report Niseko base 6am: -7C, 15cm of fresh crystal snow. Moiwa 800m: NW5m/s, calm, no development of snowdrifts. Annupuri 1150m: NW8m/s, light development of snowdrifts, 30cm of fresh, -11C. Hirafu: 15cm of fresh, calm. Peak 1308m: WNW7m/s, -13C. Coastal data: Benkei cape NW16m/s, Kamui cape W14m/s, 1.6m waves, 1014hPa. Snow & wind will momentarily pick up under the wintry pressure pattern. Beware of sudden weather changes and poor visibility in areas above 800m. According to weather transition and observations, the general avalanche risk is low. The is not as deep as yesterday, epic conditions. Peak gates will open from the morning. Seek for ski patrol’s advice, carry backcountry safety gears and step out of bounds from the gates. Skiing steep faces like the Backbowl involves high risks at all time. Don’t take it easy, be aware of the consequences and be prudent. Too many people keep entering strictly off-limits Haru no Taki area and disrespecting the Rules. Violators will have their passes confiscated and banned from skiing in Niseko resorts. Having people respect the Rules is the only way to protect the current system allowing skiing out of bounds. Have a nice day. --- Official snow depth numbers and lift news at time of writing: Grand Hirafu / Hanazono: Top - 320cm Base - 160cm Niseko Village: Top - 230cm Base - 160cm Annupuri: Top - 190cm Base - 180cm Niseko Now 2013-2014 season Data as of Monday 6th January 2014 Total snowfall at base so far 505cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 37 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 35cm (14th, 15th and 24th December) November 2013 snowfall 123cm reported on 9 days December 2013 snowfall 275cm reported on 22 days January 2014 snowfall 107cm 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 530cm Posted on Wednesday 8th January 2014 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here It's another 10cm or so of snow to report this morning, though it is a relatively warm one - into the positives! - and so rather wet snow conditions to what we are used to. It should be getting colder though as the day moves on today and from tomorrow too it should be a return to winter cold. So just a blip I think. Just cloud here now but snow due over the coming days into the weekend so we should be getting regular refills. --- Niseko Avalanche Report Niseko base 6am: 0C, 5cm of wet crystal snow. Moiwa 800m: -3C, northerly breeze, 15cm of fresh. Annupuri 1150m: NW11m/s, -7C, 15m of snowdrifts. Annupuri peak 1308m: NW8.4m/s, -7C. Coastal data: Benkei cape NNW11m/s, Kamui cape: N10m/s, 1.2m waves, 1013hPa. Wet snowfall due to a low-pressure system inducing warm air inflow. The wind is calm and development of snowdrift is slim. A notable Jan 7th layer will form in the future snowpack due to change in temperature. Although the surface hasn’t been reset, the snow is generally in good condition. The overall avalanche risk is low, however large avalanche (120cm thick) from Jan 3rd layer triggered by humid surface slab slide is to be considered in south facing Haru no taki area. Do not enter those strictly off-limits areas. Gates are scheduled to open from the morning, please follow the ski patrol's instructions. Many of the avalanche accidents occur in leeward slopes with heavy snowdrift deposit. Better not stimulate slopes with cornices or knoll terrain during of just after storms. They can let go very easily. Be aware that surface slabs formed due to sun-exposure (sun-crusts/film-crusts) can sometimes induce slides from deeper unstable layers. Prudence and vigilance will avoid accidents. --- Official snow depth numbers and lift news at time of writing: Grand Hirafu / Hanazono: Top - 310cm Base - 150cm Niseko Village: Top - 230cm Base - 160cm Annupuri: Top - 195cm Base - 180cm Niseko Now 2013-2014 season Data as of Wednesday 8th January 2014 Total snowfall at base so far 530cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 39 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 35cm (14th, 15th and 24th December) November 2013 snowfall 123cm reported on 9 days December 2013 snowfall 275cm reported on 22 days January 2014 snowfall 132cm 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 15cm Snowfall at base this season 520cm Posted on Tuesday 7th January 2014 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here It's a calm morning in Niseko and we can actually see some mountains, including that very lovely one over there called Yotei. More snowfall up until this morning though, about another 10-15cm since my last report. There's still some cloud around this morning, but some blue sky as well and I do think the sun might shine down on us as well this morning. Take the chance while you can though as the snow clouds will probably be back soon though, perhaps even later today. After that, snow lined up through into the weekend. --- Niseko Avalanche Report Niseko base 6am: -5C, 2cm of fresh snow. Moiwa 800m: -8C, calm morning and minimal development of snowdrifts. Annupuri 1150m: -10C, light breeze. Annupuri peak: 1308m: WNW9m/s, -11C. Coastal data: Benkei cape NW11m/s, Kamui cape WSW10m/s, 1.2m waves, 1021hPa. Peak wind forecast at noon: W16m/s. A high-pressure system is overlaying the mountain range; calm morning with light dusts. The overall avalanche hazard is low. Peak gates are scheduled to open from the morning. A westerly wind is forecasted to pick up later during the day; beware of sudden weather changes. The area outside the boundary ropes is outside resort management; it is unmanaged and uncontrolled quasi-national park / mountain areas. Always be conscious of the risks involved in skiing in there. Guides and group leaders are responsible for the safety of their groups. Thoughtful evaluation of the group’s ability level is required when choosing the touring route. Be careful of trees and falling into hidden cracks. The hazards of winter mountains are not limited to avalanches. Do not duck ropes to step out of bounds. --- Official snow depth numbers and lift news at time of writing: Grand Hirafu / Hanazono: Top - 320cm Base - 155cm Niseko Village: Top - 230cm Base - 160cm Annupuri: Top - 190cm Base - 180cm Niseko Now 2013-2014 season Data as of Tuesday 7th January 2014 Total snowfall at base so far 520cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 38 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 35cm (14th, 15th and 24th December) November 2013 snowfall 123cm reported on 9 days December 2013 snowfall 275cm reported on 22 days January 2014 snowfall 122cm 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 25cm Snowfall at base this season 565cm Posted on Friday 10th January 2014 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here More snow once again this morning from Hirafu and this time it's 25cm. It's a very cold morning here. -8 degrees at base now, and resorts reporting temperatures of down to -17 degrees (Annupuri) this morning. There's a moderate wind this morning which is causing just a few issues at the moment - the King Number 3 at Grand Hirafu is on hold and the Gondola at Niseko Village is operating at a reduced speed as are the quads over at Hanazono. Other than that the lifts seem to be open as normal for now. Oh yes... it's snowing, and will continue snow and continue to be cold. From tomorrow (11th January) until 2nd February, at Niseko Grand Hirafu the Ace Number 2 Center Four quad lift will be opening at an earlier time for their 'Early Morning' service. Time is 8am until 8:20am and it costs an additional 500 yen - unfortunately you can't use season tickets or normal lift tickets for this service. --- Niseko Avalanche Report Niseko base 6am: -8C, 15cm of crushed-crystal snow in the past 12 hours. Moiwa 800m: WNW15m/s, -14C, 20cm of crushed-crystal with snowdrift development. Annupuri 1150m: NW15m/s, -16C, 20cm of fresh with snowdrift development, 200cm snowpack. Annupuri peak 1308m: WNW10m/s, -18℃. Forecasted wind at noon: NW20m/s. Hirafu 1000m: -14C, 30cm of fresh with snowdrifts development. Coastal data: Benkei capeNNW15m/s, Kamui capeW12m/s, 2.2m waves, 1013hPa. Wintry pressure pattern is generating stormy conditions. Snowdrifts are developing fast, up 150cm in leeward knolls above 800m. According to snowfall transition, observations and data evaluation, the avalanche risk is high from the morning. Peak gates will be closed. Other gates opening will depend on ski patrol’s judgment. Better not stimulate cornices and knolls today, a 30-70cm thick surface slab avalanche is to be highly considered in typical avalanche terrains, such as 800m Osawa cornice slopes and Mikaeri bowl. Storms generate thick and heavy slabs of dense snow due to wind-drift accumulation. Rapidly forming snowdrift slabs are extremely unstable in the wind, could collapse with the slightest stimulation and trigger a large surface slab slide. Better not step out of bounds today. The snow in the trees is heavy and deep, but good fun. Beware of frostbite. --- Official snow depth numbers and lift news at time of writing: Grand Hirafu / Hanazono: Top - 330cm Base - 165cm Niseko Village: Top - 240cm Base - 170cm Annupuri: Top - 205cm Base - 180cm Niseko Now 2013-2014 season Data as of Friday 10th January 2014 Total snowfall at base so far 565cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 41 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 35cm (14th, 15th and 24th December) November 2013 snowfall 123cm reported on 9 days December 2013 snowfall 275cm reported on 22 days January 2014 snowfall 167cm 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 10cm Snowfall at base this season 540cm Posted on Thursday 9th January 2014 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Another 10cm here in Hirafu this morning. Even when it gets milder up here, the snow never seems to be far away in season! One of the things to surely love about Niseko. Anyway, it is colder this morning and it's set to get colder still over the next few days. Snowfall is forecast right through until next week as well so we should be seeing regular topups. Hopefully the wind will behave I hope you can be here to enjoy it. Remember to wrap up well! --- Niseko Avalanche Report Niseko base 6am: -7C, 5cm of dry snow flakes. Moiwa 800m: -10C, 10cm of fresh and light development of snowdrifts. Annupuri 1150m: -12C, NNE8m/s, moderate development of snowdrifts. Annupuri peak 1308m: NNW7.6m, -14C. Wind forecast at noon: NW15m/s. Coastal data: Benkei cape NNW8m/s, Kamui cape: NW8m/s, 1.6m waves, 1009hPa. Snowpack at Mizuno no sawa knoll: 280cm. Significant cold air-mass is approaching and will make snow & wind pick up later today. General avalanche risk remains low this morning; however will rise from higher altitude slopes as the snowdrifts start to develop. Peak gate will open from the morning. Pay attention to the ski patrol’s advices and make sure to carry backcountry safety equipment when stepping out of bounds. Beware of sudden weather changes. Do not forget that outside the gates is outside resort management. Cornice slopes above 1200m, such as the Backbowl’s sidewalls, should be avoided today as slides from Jan 7th layer are to be expected. Most avalanche accidents are caused by fractures of developing snowdrifts (surface slabs). Niseko terrain is generally gentle, however avalanche accidents do happen if the conditions are right. Please do respect the Niseko Rules to protect the freedom and safety of resort-access backcountry skiing. Do not duck ropes. Mizuno no sawa educational program is starting from today. --- Official snow depth numbers and lift news at time of writing: Grand Hirafu / Hanazono: Top - 320cm Base - 160cm Niseko Village: Top - 230cm Base - 160cm Annupuri: Top - 200cm Base - 180cm Niseko Now 2013-2014 season Data as of Thursday 9th January 2014 Total snowfall at base so far 540cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 40 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 35cm (14th, 15th and 24th December) November 2013 snowfall 123cm reported on 9 days December 2013 snowfall 275cm reported on 22 days January 2014 snowfall 142cm 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 25cm Snowfall at base this season 615cm Posted on Sunday 12th January 2014 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Another 25cm of snow since yesterday. I'm sure I said that yesterday. Yes, I did. But it's true, as the snow just doesn't seem to want to stop at the moment. Good snow wants to fall on Niseko! There's not as much wind this morning but later on stronger winds forecast. Snow is still falling and visibility is generally fairly poor. Apart from the top lifts at Grand Hirafu and the Jumbo Number 4 lit at Annupuri having a late start as they cope with snow, all lifts plan to be running as scheduled. Let's look at the numbers and see what they say. Today Niseko Grand Hirafu is reporting 175cm at base and 360cm on upper areas. The same day last year those numbers were 200cm and 380cm respectively. So actually a bit less than last year. In our Now report on January 12th 2013 we were reporting a running total of 756cm of snowfall since the beginning of the season. Today that same number for this season is 615cm. The Japan Meteorological Agency's numbers for Kutchan town for January 2013 were 268cm. So far this month we have 134cm and so we're half way there in 12 days. December 2013 saw less snowfall than December 2012 and so it would be good to 'catch up'. Just for the sake of the numbers! Whatever the numbers are, continued snow refreshes are making for excellent conditions every day. Take care out there and have fun. --- Niseko Avalanche Report Niseko base 6am: -8C, 20cm of fresh. Moiwa 800m: -11C, NW10m/s, 30cm of fresh, large & unstable development of snowdrifts. Annupuri 1150m: NW15m/s, -14C, 40cm snow, large development of unstable cornices and snowdrifts. Annupuri peak: W8m/s, -15℃. Wind forecast at noon: WNW20m/s. Hirafu 12hours snowfall 40cm. Coastal data: Benkei cape WNW10m/s, Kamui cape W9m/s, 2m waves, 1016hPa. The isobars are spacing out as the next low-pressure system is approaching, and the wind is stagnating around 10m/s since 2am. However, the wind is forecasted to pick up later today. The avalanche risk is high above 800m. Possibilities of 80-120cm thick surface slab avalanches are present in the Backbowl, Osawa 1100m cornice slopes, Higashi-One cornice slopes and Mikaeri Bowl. Gate 2 & 3 will be kept closed today. Gate 1 & 4 are scheduled to open, however traversing all the way across to the cornices is strongly not recommend. Very hazardous conditions today. Other gates still to be determined, please respect the ski patrol’s decisions. The mountain is in unstable conditions due to the continuing storm; keep in mind that accidents are most likely to occur during and just after storms. Beware of sudden weather changes, stay humble and be prudent. Have you switched your avy beacon on? --- Official snow depth numbers and lift news at time of writing: Grand Hirafu / Hanazono: Top - 360cm Base - 175cm Niseko Village: Top - 250cm Base - 180cm Annupuri: Top - 220cm Base - 190cm Niseko Now 2013-2014 season Data as of Sunday 12th January 2014 Total snowfall at base so far 615cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 43 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 35cm (14th, 15th and 24th December) November 2013 snowfall 123cm reported on 9 days December 2013 snowfall 275cm reported on 22 days January 2014 snowfall 217cm reported on 12 days Previous report Next report All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Kutchan/Niseko. The 'new snowfall' number represents the amount of snow measured since the previous report. All opinions are those of the individual reporters. Information regarding ski area operations is manually checked every morning and is believed to be correct at the time of the report. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 25cm Snowfall at base this season 590cm Posted on Saturday 11th January 2014 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here First the great news. Another 25cm of snow since yesterday. Yes, it just keeps on coming. And so do the cold temperatures, so snow conditions out on the mountain are just really great at the moment. Less great is that wind is causing a few issues this morning - at Annupuri the Gondola, Jumbo 3 and 4 lifts are not moving at the moment; at Niseko Village the Gondola is on hold; and here at Grand Hirafu the top lifts at both Hirafu and Hanazono are on standby. Subject to change of course with the weather conditions. Fingers crossed on that score. One more thing that I think I forgot to mention yesterday. Today and tomorrow are the weekend of course, but in Japan Monday is also a holiday making it a long weekend and one of the more popular 'ski weekends' of the season with Japanese. So it will be - and is already - busy. Without wanting to sound repetitive, the snow should continue today and tomorrow and probably Monday too. --- Niseko Avalanche Report Niseko base 6am: -10C, 30cm of fresh snow. Moiwa 800m: NW15m/s, -13C, 20cm of fresh snow with heavy development of snowdrifts, bad visibility. Annupuri 1000m: strong wind and bad visibility (6am), -11C, 20cm of fresh with snowdrift development. Hirafu1000m: 30cm of fresh, relatively protected from the wind. Annupuri peak 1308m: NW14.8m/s, -17.3C. Wind frecast at noon: NW18m/s. Coastal data: Benkei cape NW16m/s, Kamui cape WNW12m/s, 2.4m waves, 1018hPa. Snowstrom is persisting and generating heavy snowdrift development. The avalanche hazard is extreme in 800m leeward steep slopes. Peak gates will be closed. Please follow the ski patrol’s instructions. Heavy snowfall and the new snowpack is deep and heavy. Cornices and knolls are extremely unstable. Do not stimulate these features. Avalanches are most likely to occur during stormy conditions. The snow in the trees is deep and good, but also easy to get stuck, stay close to the course. Beware of tumbles and suffocation. The snow condition is ever changing. --- Official snow depth numbers and lift news at time of writing: Grand Hirafu / Hanazono: Top - 340cm Base - 170cm Niseko Village: Top - 250cm Base - 180cm Annupuri: Top - 205cm Base - 180cm Niseko Now 2013-2014 season Data as of Saturday 11th January 2014 Total snowfall at base so far 590cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 42 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 35cm (14th, 15th and 24th December) November 2013 snowfall 123cm reported on 9 days December 2013 snowfall 275cm reported on 22 days January 2014 snowfall 192cm 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 30cm Snowfall at base this season 645cm Posted on Monday 13th January 2014 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Mad snow at the moment in Niseko. On the mountain yesterday there was considerably more than the amount we had noted down here in the village area, and it just kept on coming with heavy snow conditions. This morning there's yet another 30cm or so here, so let's presume that there was once again more up on the mountain. Let's forget about the fine details of numbers though... it's simply very deep out there at the moment. We're at that point when some of people are wishing for the snow to stop and for the sun to come out - these kinds of conditions every day are not for everyone. It's also extremely cold this morning. A moderate wind doesn't seem to be affecting lifts too much, with just a few running at reduced speed as I write this report. Limited visibility as you might expect. So it's full on winter conditions - so go out prepared. Read the Avalanche Report and stay safe. Most of all, enjoy it! We might see a slight let up tomorrow but generally we still have snow forecast every day into the weekend. --- Niseko Avalanche Report Niseko base 6am: -12C, 20cm of broken crystal snow in the past 12 hours. Moiwa 800m: -13C, strong NW wind with snowdrift development, bad visibility. Annupuri 1150m: -16C, considerable development of cornice and snowdrifts. Peak 1308m: NW14.1m/s, -18.1℃. Wind forecast at noon: NW18m/s. Hirafu 1000m: 80cm snowfall in 12 hours with development of snowdrifts. Coastal data: Benkei cape NNW13m/s, Kamui cape NNW10m/s, 1.5m waves, 1014hPa. Snowclouds are still widely present over the Sea of Japan and stormy condition continues. According to snowfall transition and data evaluation, the overall avalanche risk is high. Refrain from stimulating knolls and open steep slopes. An avalanche occurred in Higashi-One no.3 gully yesterday, ripping the skis off a skier. The cornices are still very unstable & heavy, and can easily burry a person if falling with it. Snow is deep in the trees as well, boarders should consider carrying snowshoes. Gates 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 will be closed. Keep in mind that accidents often happen during poor weather conditions. Be prudent. The conditions will turn better soon. Better not push it too hard today, go for a quick ride and better go chill out in an onsen. --- Official snow depth numbers and lift news at time of writing: Grand Hirafu / Hanazono: Top - 370cm Base - 200cm Niseko Village: Top - 290cm Base - 210cm Annupuri: Top - 235cm Base - 200cm Niseko Now 2013-2014 season Data as of Monday 13th January 2014 Total snowfall at base so far 645cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 44 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 35cm (14th, 15th and 24th December) November 2013 snowfall 123cm reported on 9 days December 2013 snowfall 275cm reported on 22 days January 2014 snowfall 247cm reported on 13 days Previous report Next report All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Kutchan/Niseko. The 'new snowfall' number represents the amount of snow measured since the previous report. All opinions are those of the individual reporters. Information regarding ski area operations is manually checked every morning and is believed to be correct at the time of the report. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 15cm Snowfall at base this season 700cm Posted on Wednesday 15th January 2014 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here So after I posted the report yesterday morning the clouds did clear up and the sun did make an appearance. For a short time at least, it was blue skies and sun along with cold conditions. Beautiful. And those superb snow conditions...! The clear skies didn't last long though, evidence being the 15cm of fresh snowfall to report from Hirafu this morning. It continues to snow early this morning as well and that's basically what is forecast for the day today. Though there is a chance of the clouds clearing up some during the day as well. Whatever, it looks like the continued heavy snowfall we have had over the last week or so though is easing off. Even so, the snow clouds probably won't ever be too far away and it should be keeping good and cold. Top gates should be open this morning. More on that below... --- Niseko Avalanche Report Niseko base 6am: -8C, 15cm of crystal snow in the past 12 hours. Miwa 800m: -11C, W10m/s, 20cm of fresh, good visibility. Annupuri 1150m: -13C, W10m/s, 20cm of fresh, moderate development of snowdrift. Hirafu 1000m: -11C, 20cm of fresh. Peak 1308m: WSW4.5m/s, -16℃, wind forecast at noon: W15m/s. Coastal data: Benkei cape WNW8m/s, Kamui cape W11m/s, 1.6m waves, 1023hPa. Calm conditions under high-pressure zone. According to observation and data evaluations, no drastic snowdrift development can be observed and the overall avalanche risk is low. Peak gate 2 & 3 are scheduled to open at 10am. Ask for the ski patrol’s advice before stepping out the gates. Avalanche hazard is still high the Backbowl and Higashi-One steeps & knolls around the cornices. Better not take it too easy and drop into these slopes without determination. If it slides, it will be big. Better avoid the valley bottoms. The number of people ducking ropes is increasing. Niseko area strongly demands all people to respect the Niseko Rules; no matter where you’re from, what ethnic groups, how much experience or knowledge you might have. Ropes must not be crossed for any reasons. One track under the ropes leads many others to do the same and quickly increase the chances of accidents to happen. --- Official snow depth numbers and lift news at time of writing: Grand Hirafu / Hanazono: Top - 400cm Base - 210cm Niseko Village: Top - 310cm Base - 220cm Annupuri: Top - 245cm Base - 200cm Niseko Now 2013-2014 season Data as of Wednesday 15th January 2014 Total snowfall at base so far 700cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 46 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 302cm reported on 15 days Previous report Next report All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Kutchan/Niseko. The 'new snowfall' number represents the amount of snow measured since the previous report. All opinions are those of the individual reporters. Information regarding ski area operations is manually checked every morning and is believed to be correct at the time of the report. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 40cm Snowfall at base this season 685cm Posted on Tuesday 14th January 2014 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here I have been sat here trying to decide what words to use this morning, especially as we try not to get too carried away with epic adjectives on these here reports, so I thought I'd try to just go for the numbers... I have measured 40-45cm of new snow since my last report. Like, wow. We are getting on for 3m of snowfall in January alone, and that's here in the village base area and so will likely be a fair bit more than that on the mountain. Grand Hirafu has upped it's upper snow depth to 4m this morning. Sun lovers can rejoice... for the moment anyway. As I am writing this we have some blue sky appearing over parts of the mountain and even a bit of sun. It may well be only a short view though with the latest forecasts continuing to give us snowy conditions right through the weekend. If you like it deep, then this is most certainly the place to be. January is shaping up to be outstanding. --- Niseko Avalanche Report Niseko base 6am: -8C, 25cm of crushed crystal snow in the past 12 hours. Moiwa 800m: -11C, 40cm of fresh, light breeze & snowfall. Annupuri 1000m: -13C, light breeze, 50cm of fresh. Hirafu 1000m: -11C, 30cm of fresh with snowdrift development. Annupuri peak 1308m: -16.2℃, N16.6m/s, wind forecast at noon: W10m/s. Coastal data: Benkei cape NW11m/s, Kamui cape NNW6m/s, 1.7m waves, 1021hPa. Heavy snowfall continues, but isobars are spacing out and the wind is calming down. Snow deposit up to 70cm on-piste. Soft-slabs, up to 150cm, have formed in leeward slopes above 800m. These slabs are still unstable and avalanche risk remains high. Peak gates will be closed. Other gates to be decided, please follow the ski patrol’s instructions. Do not enter Haru no Taki area. A critical accident occurred in there in 1998 and the current conditions are quite alike. Accidents happen when the conditions are right and the Niseko Rules has been set to minimize the chances of accidents to happen. It is not just another formality to avoid responsibilities. Beware of cracks. Better stay close to in-bounds area today. The visibility is bad but the snow in the trees is deep and good. Have a nice day. --- Official snow depth numbers and lift news at time of writing: Grand Hirafu / Hanazono: Top - 400cm Base - 225cm Niseko Village: Top - 300cm Base - 210cm Annupuri: Top - 245cm Base - 200cm Niseko Now 2013-2014 season Data as of Tuesday 14th January 2014 Total snowfall at base so far 685cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 45 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 287cm 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 25cm Snowfall at base this season 725cm Posted on Thursday 16th January 2014 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here After the somewhat disappointing 'only 15cm' in the report yesterday, we are back to 25cm since yesterday in todays report. I'm only kidding about the disappointing bit of course. After I posted the report yesterday morning we were treated to clearer and sunny conditions again for a while. Could the same happen again today? You know what, it actually might and there are signs of some blue sky showing through in places and the sun. It was snowing lightly earlier but has eased off now. There's a moderate wind this morning but apart from a few lifts moving at slower speeds, all is open. Anyway, obviously it was back to snowfall in time for that new delivery to report this morning. It's a good pattern - one that I would encourage those in charge of assigning the snow deliveries to stick to more often! So yes this morning we have yet another decent refresh on the mountain. It's interesting, many other resorts might not need the refresh as much as Niseko due to the popularity of this resort area. Popularity means that places get tracked out quicker. That also means that we perhaps suffer more than other places when conditions are dry. Good job we have that ongoing consistency. (Hope I haven't jinxed anything by saying that). Looking ahead, the forecast is actually for calm conditions over the next few days and a break in the daily heavy snowfall. I will of course report the latest to you here every day. --- Niseko Avalanche Report Niseko base 6am: -9C, 25cm crystal snowfall in 12 hours, no snowdrift development. Moiwa 800m: -11C, W8m/s, 30cm of fresh, overnight snowdrift development 80cm. Annupuri 1150m: -13C, 40cm of snowfall, notable snowdrift development. Hirafu 1000m: -11C, 20cm of fresh. Peak 1308m: -15C, NW13.1m/s. Wind forecast NW15m/s at noon. Coastal data: Benkei cape NNW15m/s, Kamui cape W11m/s, 1.6m waves, 1018hPa. Intermittent snowfall continues under typical wintry pressure pattern. The isobars will start narrowing down as the low-pressure system shifts east and the wind will start picking up again. Wind-affected slopes are forming soft-slabs, however the snow under treeline is good. The general avalanche risk is low except in steep slopes of the Backbowl and Higashi-One cornice area. The cornces have grown big and are very unstable. Better stay away from them as they could largely collapse with a slight stimulation. Some cracks are starting to form especially in knoll terrain, these cracks are hard to see from above, please be careful not to fall in there. Gates opening is yet to be decided, please follow the ski patrols instructions. Do not duck ropes, use gates to access the out of bounds areas. The resort is always concerned about all user’s safety, and the Niseko Rules has been set for the sake of all resort users. --- Official snow depth numbers and lift news at time of writing: Grand Hirafu / Hanazono: Top - 420cm Base - 220cm Niseko Village: Top - 320cm Base - 220cm Annupuri: Top - 260cm Base - 210cm Niseko Now 2013-2014 season Data as of Thursday 16th January 2014 Total snowfall at base so far 725cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 47 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 327cm reported on 16 days Previous report Next report All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Kutchan/Niseko. The 'new snowfall' number represents the amount of snow measured since the previous report. All opinions are those of the individual reporters. Information regarding ski area operations is manually checked every morning and is believed to be correct at the time of the report. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 2cm Snowfall at base this season 737cm Posted on Sunday 19th January 2014 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Just a few cm of snow to report from here in Hirafu village area this morning. It has been a somewhat dull and overcast start to the day here though things have been clearing up away from the mountain and looking out towards Yotei where there's lots of clear blue sky. Some bright areas on the lower mountain as well at the moment... feels like it's going to clear up again? Fairly strong northerly winds this morning are affecting some of the lifts at resorts including the Annupuri Gondola, Jumbo 3 and 4 lifts; the Niseko Gondola and Wonderland Chair at Niseko Village; the King Number 3, King Number 4 and Ace Number 4 lifts at Grand Hirafu; and the top Hanazono lift. Wind speeds of up to 19m/s being logged by the people over on Annupuri. Hopefully see some more snowfall later on tonight and then it looks like it'll be on and off for the first half of the coming week, but probably nothing major in terms of snow. Come on now... we want our refills! Snow falling or not, it is going to remain cold. --- Niseko Avalanche Report Niseko base 6am: -10C, trace new snow in the last 12 hrs, falling from 5am.Moiwa 800m -11C, wind W from 5am, Annupuri 1150m -13C, wind NNW 15m/s, some snow drift development. Hirafu 1000m -12C, wind N15m/s, snowfall and snow drift development from 5am. Annupuri Peak 1308m -12.5C, wind N17.6m/s – wind predicted at noon NW15m/s. Cape Benkei SE3m/s, Cape Kamui ESE3m/s, wave 2m, pressure 1014hpa. Little snowfall in the last 24hrs and the mountain is tracked out. Isobars are moving closer together and snow clouds will develop. Above 800m rapid development of snow drifts is expected. Backcountry conditions are not good, gates 2 & 3 will be closed, others yet to be decided. Please follow Patrols decisions. The Jan 17th frost layer will become possible fracture layer in future snowpack. Avalanche occurrence and scale are related to how the snow has fallen. During and directly after storms are high risk times for avalanches in Niseko. Today the danger of avalanches is high on steep slopes due to wind effected slabs. The mountain conditions change everyday, dont over estimate your skills, safety first. Dont duck ropes looking for fresh lines, Beware trees, cracks. Have a great day. --- Official snow depth numbers and lift news at time of writing: Grand Hirafu / Hanazono: Top - 400cm Base - 195cm Niseko Village: Top - 320cm Base - 220cm Annupuri: Top - 270cm Base - 210cm Niseko Now 2013-2014 season Data as of Sunday 19th January 2014 Total snowfall at base so far 737cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 49 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 339cm reported on 18 days Previous report Next report All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Kutchan/Niseko. The 'new snowfall' number represents the amount of snow measured since the previous report. All opinions are those of the individual reporters. Information regarding ski area operations is manually checked every morning and is believed to be correct at the time of the report. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com