Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 11cm Snowfall at base this season 410cm Posted on Monday 11th January 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Good morning from my secret base here in Hirafu where I have another 11cm of fresh powder to report since yesterday. It's a very cold one today with the resorts reporting temperatures of -14C and -15C on upper areas. Brrrr. Be sure to be wrapped up well to go up there and face masks are recommended. There don't seem to be wind issues at the start of the day with all of the four resorts open as planned. However, we are warned of the possibility of stronger winds and more storm-like conditions so keep that in mind. The Niseko Grand Hirafu official snow depth numbers have actually taken a drop today even with the fresh snow. Perhaps it's all those naughty people making tracks and compacting the snow. ;) Not to worry as the weekly forecast still has regular and consistent snowfall lined up for the coming week. There doesn't seem to be a let up in sight just yet. Today is the last day of the long weekend in Japan, and the early morning services at Niseko Village and Niseko Annupuri were until this morning. The Niseko Grand Hirafu early morning service will continue on until 31st January (more details in previous reports). --- Apologies for not mentioning this yet, but at Niseko Grand Hirafu the King Number 2 quad lift has been moving this weekend. (There were some interesting stories about that lift last year if you want to go check some archives, and it will be interesting to see if they will keep it running or just have it for holidays). I thought I would this morning also mention the Free Ride Park that they have going on over there at Niseko Grand Hirafu. I'm not really into park myself, but for those who are here's what they have: 4m table top, 5m table top, 7m table top, 5m wide box, 5m narrow box, 5m down rail, 8m double down rail, 5m cylinder rail, 5m U-rail. I hope I have written them all correctly. Sounds interesting actually, perhaps I should go and give it a whirl. It's open from 10am until 4pm. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6am: -11℃, 20cm snowfall, no snowdrifts development. Moiwa 750m: -13℃, WSW10m/s, 20cm snow, cornices/snowdrifts are developing. Mikaeri turnoff: -13℃, W2.0m/s, 30cm snowfall with snowdrifts. Anupuri 1150m: -15℃, W8m/s, scarce snowfall on the course, developing snowdrifts. Hirafu 1200m: -15℃, stormy weather with poor visibility. Benkei cape: NNW14m/s. Kamui cape: NNW10m/s, 1015hPa, 2.4m waves. The winter pressure distribution is generating intermittent strong wind and snow in areas above 1000m as the isobars spacing shifts. The stabilization of the snowdrifts in slopes with cornice/knoll features is delayed and are highly likely to collapse. The overall avalanche hazard level is moderate to high, highest in leeside steep slopes above 1200m elevation. The peak gates’ opening will be delayed and hinge upon lifts operation. Please follow the ski patrol’s instructions. Stay away from hazardous aspects. Coldest temperature of the season so far, beware of frostbites and hypothermia. Wind-affected soft snow has blanketed the tree runs. Cracks are opening and are hard to notice from above, be careful not to fall in one. --- Official resort snow depths as of Monday 11th January 2016: Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Top - 280cm Base - 125cm Niseko Village Top - 200cm Base - 120cm Niseko Annupuri Top - 165cm Base - 110cm Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Monday 11th January 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 410cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 31 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 24cm (26th and 28th December) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 244cm reported on 17 days January 2016 snowfall 105cm 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 12cm Snowfall at base this season 422cm Posted on Tuesday 12th January 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here A good morning to you from Niseko where... it has been snowing again. It has been doing quite a lot of that of late! This morning I have another 12cm of fine quality snow to add to the tally. Right at this moment it's just cloudy but snow falling is something that can happen any time and indeed those forecasts are still telling us to expect snow today and over the coming days. It also remains very cold. I am a bit earlier with my report this morning (out of necessity), but as I take the webcam images at 7:53am there's a bunch of folk already waiting for that Hirafu lift. Niseko Village look to be reporting winds of up to 17m/s up top so we'll have to keep an eye on that - hopefully wind won't be an issue today. It should be another excellent day. --- It's time to take another excite look at some numbers. In the first 12 reports of January 2016 I have observed 117cm of snowfall here at my Hirafu base (and 94cm over the last 7 days). Last year during the same 12 day start to January 2015, I actually recorded 162cm - so like-for-like we are actually behind on last year. And if you remember, at the end of December 2015 (for the season so far up to that point) we were also about 2.5m behind on the same period the previous season. The poor ('late') start to the season is of course a big reason for the December numbers, and perhaps the big picture is just one more reflection of the generally 'mild winter' that Japan has been experiencing so far. Even though obviously no-one could call it mild up here at the moment - rather, it's actually really cold. But that's beside the point. And of course we are still enjoying very respectful and regular refresh rates, so that's all great. So perhaps and we should just consider ourselves lucky given the prolonged poor early season in many other regions of the country. I am no meteorologist (as you can no doubt tell) but I did see an interview on television yesterday with one who was saying that there is a good chance that Japan as a whole will be getting colder and brushing aside this 'mild winter' soon. That would be good for everyone. It's exciting to think how January could end up for us here in Hokkaido if the consistency continues. Oh yes, please remember everyone my observations are - and always have been - from my base here in Hirafu. --- Following on from my comments yesterday, the King Number 2 quad lift at Niseko Grand Hirafu is being rested again from today, so it looks like it was a long holiday special. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6am: -10℃, 15cm new snow, calm. Moiwa 800m: -13℃, W10m/s, developing cornices and snowdrifts. Mikaeri anemometer: SSW2.3m, -12.8℃. Annupuri 1150m: -15℃, W15m/s. Hirafu 1000m: -14℃, mild wind and 20cm snowfall. Benkei cape: WNW12m/s, Kamui cape W9m/s, 1013hPa, 2.3m waves. Typical winter pressure distribution (High in the west, Low in the east) continues. The wind is stagnating around 10-15m/s westerly at sea and in the sky. Intermittent gusts with heavy snowfall are making the snowdrifts and cornices grow slowly around 800m elevation. 120cm thick slab largely slid with the snow-cat pressure test, however seems stable with ski compaction. Looking at all data and observations, the avalanche hazard level under 1000m elevation is low. Peak gates will open as they’re ready. Please follow the patrol’s instructions and step out of the gates. Carrying avalanche transceivers (beacons) is not mandatory in Niseko, however it is strongly recommended to. It may save not only yours but other people’s lives. The avalanche hazard level in areas above 1100m is moderate to high. 60cm thick slides are likely to occur with ski compaction. Better not stimulate slopes with knolls and cornices. Beware of frostbites and hypothermia. Overall good conditions this morning. --- Official resort snow depths as of Tuesday 12th January 2016: Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Top - 280cm Base - 130cm Niseko Village Top - 200cm Base - 120cm Niseko Annupuri Top - 165cm Base - 110cm Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Tuesday 12th January 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 422cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 32 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 24cm (26th and 28th December) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 244cm reported on 17 days January 2016 snowfall 117cm 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 15cm Snowfall at base this season 460cm Posted on Thursday 14th January 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Good morning from Niseko where we have another 15cm of fresh snow on the ground. Yesterday I spent most of the morning at Hirafu and over at Hanazono. The conditions were fantastic out there, lots of deep snow to be played in; and lots of people playing as well. There was even a bit of sunshine at times in the morning but the snow clouds prevailed for most of the day, though it wasn't heavy. This morning the snow has been back and it is still snowing, though just lightly at the time of writing this report. There seems to be more of a wind around this morning and the resorts are reporting fairly strong wind up on the mountain so there's a chance that it may affect lifts today - though starting the day with the intentions of being open as planned. The forecast still shows a possible break in the snowfall around Sunday though that probably won't last long as we should be back to snow early in the week. If anything, early next week the snowfall may get heavier! Getting bored of all this snowfall? No, didn't think so! --- From this morning the 'Deep Snow Forest' (深雪林間) course will be open at Niseko Annupuri - meaning that all of their courses are now open. It's an ungroomed course, 400m in length and fairly close to base with a steepest gradient of 34 degrees and average gradient of 24 degrees. The resort describes it (in Japanese) as a tree run and off-piste course for advanced riders. Definitely worth a look I would say if you are gnarly enough. If you aren't gnarly enough just pretend you didn't know, or say you went somewhere even more gnarly. --- On the main NHK news last night they were headlining that there would be a piece on the economic effects of the 'mild winter' this year. Here was me thinking we would get an interesting in-depth look at how ski resorts are being affected in different regions around Japan... only to get a report on the price of cabbages. And daikon radishes. It was rather odd, perhaps a bit like the season. (For those of you interested, cabbages are apparently down 34% in price compared with last year. I can't remember the number for the daikon). --- In more serious news, it is very sad to hear about the avalanche incident over in the French Alps. A time to perhaps remember once again the potential dangers that are always close by with this sport that we love. Not that we should ever be forgetting those of course. Let's take care out there. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6am: -7℃, 20cm of broken crystal snow with snowdrifts development. Moiwa 800m: W15m/s, 40cm snowfall with snowdrifts. Mikaeri 740m: -9.48℃, W6.7m/s, snowdrifts and bad visibility. Annupuri 1150m and Hirafu 1000m: strong westerly wind with large development of snowdrifts. Benkei cape: NNW14m/s, Kamui cape NW11m/s, 1008hPa, 1.5m waves. The wind picked up as the low-pressure system moved east, snowfall also picked up from 4am, generating large development of cornices and snowdrifts. 45cm thick surface slab avalanche are likely to occur in 800m knoll terrain. The storm is forecasted to calm down around 10am, however avalanche risk will remain high all morning in steep valley slopes above 800m elevation. Peak gates 2 & 3 will be closed at least until noon. Please follow the patrol’s instructions. Stay away from Osawa cornice area and Higashi-One cornice area, and do not duck ropes when gates are closed. Gates are the only access point to the out of bounds area. Conditions have changed from yesterday and hazard level is higher today, heavy load of unstable snowdrifts are present in some aspects and are highly likely to slide with riding stimulation. Cornices and knolls are signs to avoid. Most accidents occur during and just after storms. The snow in the tree runs is good, but depth is uneven. Beware of collision and falling in cracks that are hard to see from above. Respect the Rules and have a safe day. Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Thursday 14th January 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 460cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 34 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 24cm (26th and 28th December) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 244cm reported on 17 days January 2016 snowfall 155cm 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 24cm Snowfall at base this season 484cm Posted on Friday 15th January 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here My oh my, we really are enjoying a superb patch right now, aren't we? There's 24cm of beautiful fresh new snowfall piled up round the back of my place this morning after the impressive snow that we had yesterday. Given that the mountain is often thought to get up to one and a half the amount we get here in the village area, that means we can very probably expect 30-35cm up there this morning. Out of duty I think I will have to force myself to make my way up there this morning right after posting this report, just so that I can check for myself and confirm. I already have most of my gear on! It's the kind of morning that I love as well. The sun is out and there's increasingly more blue sky as well. A beautiful morning... in so many ways. Niseko Grand Hirafu today breaks the 3m barrier for official snow depth up top. And oh yes, snowfall still on the forecast every day over the next week with some sun still a possibility on Sunday. Hurray! --- How many of you felt the earthquake yesterday at 12:31pm? It was quite a bit one as well - magnitude 6.7. The biggest shaking was felt in eastern parts of Hakodate city and along the coastline to the south east of Sapporo. Parts of Sapporo got a fair shake too. Here in the Niseko region a 'shindo 3' was recorded. The Japanese 'shindo' seismic intensity scale is actually very interesting and gives you a much better idea of how an earthquake affects people in different places on the ground rather than the simple magnitude number. It is measured in units which basically describe the degree of shaking at a point on the ground. Shindo 1 is a bit of wobble and some people might not notice it. The strongest Shindo 7 is a violent, destructive and terrifying earthquake. Wikipedia explains shindo 3 as being 'felt by most to all people indoors - some people are frightened' and 'objects inside rattle noticeably and can fall off tables'. Shindo 3 isn't destructive at all and so there were no problems here that I am aware of. Anyway, nothing to worry about. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6am: -8℃, 30cm snowfall. Moiwa 800m: -10℃, E5m/s, 40cm of wind-compacted snow. Mikaeri 740m: NW8m/s at 4am, 40cm snowfall with development of snowdrifts. Annupuri 1150m: -13℃, 50cm wind-affected slabs/ Hirafu 1000m: -10℃, mild wind, 30cm snowfall. Coastal data; Benkei cape S3m/s, Kamui cape ENE4m/s, 1014hPa, 1.5m waves. Heavy snowfall continued in the western areas above 800m until late night and snowdrifts have largely developed, however the wind calmed down after 1am and no real snowfall since then. Looking at the weather transition and snow observations, the snowpack is stabilizing and the overall avalanche hazard level is lowering, however risk remains high in leeside slopes above 1000m. Stay away from Osawa (Annupuri bowl) cornice/knolls and Higashi-One (East ridge above Hanazono) cornices/knolls. 50cm thick slab slides are still highly likely to occur. The snow is deep, beware of being stuck. Good idea to carry snowshoes/skins. Peak gates will open, please follow the patrol’s instructions. The snow is wind-affected, bit heavy, good consistency. Beware of collisions and cracks. Most accidents can be avoided by being prudent. Have a great day! --- Official resort snow depths as of Friday 15th January 2016: Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Top - 310cm Base - 130cm Niseko Village Top - 230cm Base - 130cm Niseko Annupuri Top - 200cm Base - 140cm Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Friday 15th January 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 484cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 35 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 24cm (26th and 28th December) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 244cm reported on 17 days January 2016 snowfall 179cm 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 17cm Snowfall at base this season 501cm Posted on Saturday 16th January 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Good morning from Hirafu base here in Niseko. What a truly wonderful day yesterday was. The sun was out in the morning and there were lovely clear blue skies. It was good and cold. There were excellent deep snow conditions (I usually try to avoid that word, but I really could not think of another that fit better!) And then later on in the day the snow clouds came back and started to give us yet another refresh. So this morning my measure of the new snow is 17cm. I see that the Avalanche Report below is showing 20-30cm as well which is great to hear. Once again it's top quality stuff as well, dry and light, just how we like it. See if you can make a snowball out of it! This morning it has been snowing (again) though it is actually quite bright as I write this and I can see some blue skies over to the east and Mt Yotei. The sun seems to be breaking through in places too. --- I have observed 197cm of fresh snowfall here since the beginning of January, and over 504cm of snowfall since the season began. With the forecast still showing lots of snow over the coming week, it looks like we are very likely going to be easily 'beating' the snowfall I observed last January (which was 257cm). Perhaps we might even start to catch up on the total for the season even with our late start. Those of you who picked to come to Niseko around now... Congratulations! I hope it continues so that all of you folk coming soon can also experience these conditions. Have a great weekend wherever you may be. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6am: -8℃, 30cm of crystal snow and calm morning. Moiwa 800m: -12℃, mild wind, 20cm of new snow and no development of snowdrifts. Mikaeri 740m: -10.8℃, Southerly0.8m/s, 30cm snowfall. Annupuri 1150m: -13℃, NW8m/s, 20cm snowfall. Hirafu 1000m: -12℃, 15cm snowfall, no development of snowdrifts. Coastal data: Benkei cape NW14m/s, Kamui cape W10m/s, 1015hPa, 1.1m waves. The isobars are spaced out and the weather is calm. A NW wind is predicted to pick up in higher elevation. The overall snowdrift development is minimal and the mountain is blanketed with 20-30cm of fresh snow. Jan 15th layer would become a notable layer in the future snowpack. Layer observations and snowdrifts development are key features for avalanche prediction. Avalanches in Niseko are typically triggered by collapse of developing snowdrifts, and become an incident when people are caught in it. Peak gates are scheduled to open. Ask the patrol’s feedback before stepping out. Gate 7 (A-sawa) & 9 (Waterfall) are also scheduled to open today. Beware not to fall into creeks. This information is released for the sake of all ski resort user’s safety in the out of bounds area. Carrying avalanche gear (beacon, shovel, probe) may not be compulsory, but is strongly recommended to do so. Have a nice day. --- Official resort snow depths as of Saturday 16th January 2016: Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Top - 320cm Base - 150cm Niseko Village Top - 240cm Base - 140cm Niseko Annupuri Top - 200cm Base - 150cm Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Saturday 16th January 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 501cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 36 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 24cm (26th and 28th December) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 244cm reported on 17 days January 2016 snowfall 196cm 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 23cm Snowfall at base this season 445cm Posted on Wednesday 13th January 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here And it most certainly is a very good morning with a lovely 23cm of fresh dry and light snowfall to report to you from here at base. That might be 30+cm higher up. Nice. And it is continuing to snow as well and coming down at quite the rate as well at the moment. The Niseko Grand Hirafu resort are now just 5cm off hitting an official upper mountain snow depth of 3m, not that official snow depths are quite as important as the fresh snow that we receive each day. If I were so inclined just around now would be around the time when I'd be bringing out the clichéd and cheesy adjectives to describe conditions! :) Yes, things are going very well indeed and the folk lining up for those first lifts of the day must be very excited about what's just ahead of them. Unfortunately, top lifts were affected by strong wind and poor visibility across the mountain from around mid-morning yesterday, but while it continues to snow and visibility will probably be limited up there this morning it seems that wind is not going to be a factor this morning. As we all know though, that can change quickly. Is that actually a break from snowfall I see on the forecast for around Sunday, and appropriately maybe a bit of sun? It might be (though it's probably back to snowfall from Monday). Until then we can expect further snow every day through until Saturday. I think we all love those beautiful clear sunny days and in a period like this we don't get that many here, so they are to be treasured. Having said that, it would almost be a shame for the consistent daily snowfall to take a break. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6.00am: -9°, 20cm new crystal snowfall. Moiwa 800m: -12°, wind NW8m/s, 20cm new snowfall, cornice and snowdrift development. Mikaeri 740m: -10.4°, wind SSE0.9m/s, 40cm new snowfall. Hirafu 1000m: -12°, light winds, 20cm new snowfall. Coastal data: Benkei Cape: NW 16m/s,. Kamui Cape WSW 13m/s, 1010hPa, wave 2.1m. Currently the pressure gradient is shallow and with the approaching low pressure system crystal snow is falling. There has been minor cornice and snowdrift development and propagation from impact is not carrying a great distance. From observation and data analysis, general avalanche risk is low. All gates are expected to be open. Please follow the patrols instructions. Be careful of sudden changes in the weather. The Moiwa to Annupuri via Mikaeri Ridge trail is now completed. This route is managed and maintained and by The Niseko Avalanche Institute for the purpose of snow research, by the Institute, and where necessary to, aid in rescues. During these times the route will be closed to the public Please take care over estimating your speed and hitting trees. Snow conditions are fantastic, have a good day. --- Official resort snow depths as of Wednesday 13th January 2016: Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Top - 295cm Base - 140cm Niseko Village Top - 210cm Base - 120cm Niseko Annupuri Top - 180cm Base - 120cm Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Wednesday 13th January 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 445cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 33 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 24cm (26th and 28th December) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 244cm reported on 17 days January 2016 snowfall 140cm 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 1cm Snowfall at base this season 536cm Posted on Wednesday 20th January 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Morning from Hirafu where there's just 1cm of new snowfall to report to you this morning. We were expecting and hoping for more, but shall try to not be too greedy. Yesterday wind messed around with top lifts, with the Niseko Annupuri resort only ending up opening up late morning with the Jumbo 1, 2 and 3 lifts eventually moving by noon. Other top lifts were affected through the day as well. So how will today turn out? Unfortunately it looks like there's going to be less lifts open than yesterday at the beginning of the day. The Niseko Annupuri lifts will all be closed again due to the strong winds up to 20m/s over there on their upper slopes, and it's lower lifts only at Niseko Village and Niseko Grand Hirafu. The two lower quads at Hanazono are set to be both operating, but the top lift won't be. It's not the best of news for today and somewhat challenging conditions if you decide to get out there. It doesn't feel particularly cold down here in the village but with the wind conditions I would think it will feel mighty cold if you get on the lifts. Snow is forecast for the day today though and with less wind likely (hopefully!), conditions should be good tomorrow morning. --- Resort specific lift opening news at time of writing (subject to change during the day): Niseko Grand Hirafu Just lower lifts open at the start of the day - Ace Family, Ace Number 1, King Number 1 and Holiday Number 1 pair. Gondola and other lifts not operating. Niseko HANAZONO Resort The Hanazono 1 and 2 lifts are operating, but the top Hanazono Number 3 lift is not starting the day. Niseko Village The lower Community, Banzai and Morino lifts plan to start the day but the Niseko Gondola and top Wonderland Chair not operating. Niseko Annupuri All lifts not operating at the start of the day due to strong winds. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6am: -4℃, strong northerly wind, light snowfall with snowdrift development. Moiwa 800m: -10℃, E15m/s, no snowfall but large development of snowdrifts. Mikaeri 740m: -6.7℃, W9m/s, development of snowdrifts. Annupuri 1150m: -8℃, NW20-27m/s. Hirafu 1000m: -13℃, strong NE wind with large development of snowdrifts. Benkei cape: ENE17m/s, Kamui cape: E6m/s, 1003hPa, 5.5m waves. Although new snowfall is scarce, the strong easterly wind has developed new snowdrifts all around the mountain. SW facing slopes of the valleys are covered with wind-packed snowdrifts forming unstable slabs. The wind is forecasted to shift west and the snowfall will also pick up as it does. The avalanche risk in steep slopes, knolls, under lifts and under cornices above 600m elevation is high. Gates 1 & 5 as well as all peak gates will be shut. Refrain from ducking ropes. Avalanche accidents mostly occur during and just after storms. Going to an onsen and relax until the storm calms down is recommended for today. The visibility is poor on and off the mountain, pleaser be careful on the road and drive safe. If your car happen to get stuck in a blizzard, it is best to turn the engine off and wait for rescue. Have a nice day. --- Official resort snow depths as of Wednesday 20th January 2016: Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Top - 300cm Base - 130cm Niseko Village Top - 260cm Base - 150cm Niseko Annupuri Top - 230cm Base - 160cm Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Wednesday 20th January 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 536cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 39 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 31cm (17th January) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 244cm reported on 17 days January 2016 snowfall 231cm 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

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 14cm Snowfall at base this season 550cm Posted on Thursday 21st January 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Yesterday the Niseko Annupuri resort area did actually manage to get their Jumbo Number 1 quad operating late on in the afternoon, but it was generally a day of strong winds and lots of lift disruptions unfortunately. Today will hopefully be much better in that respect... There's a new 14cm of fresh snowfall to report to you this morning. The other good news is that there is much less wind around this morning (always good to hear that), or there certainly seems less down here in the village. I note that the Avalanche Report is saying there's still some strong winds above 800m, but it looks like the lifts at all four resort areas are going to be opening as planned this morning. Fingers crossed it stays that way. (Update since I started making this report: It seems the opening of the top lifts at Hirafu is questionable... doh!) It is just cloudy at the moment but snow could be falling any time as those clouds are still hanging around and due to be with us into the weekend. It does look like any deliveries of snow we get will be more modest than heavy snow, and there's a chance of some clearer skies as well particularly on Saturday. Anyway keep an eye on the weather forecast (link below) for all of that. --- Resort specific lift opening news at time of writing (subject to change during the day): Niseko Grand Hirafu Top Ace Number 4, King Number 4 and King Number 3 lifts may not be opening as planned. Niseko HANAZONO Resort It seems Niseko Hanazono is opening as normal. Niseko Village Niseko Gondola and Wonderland chair may be late getting going due to some early morning maintenance and checks (or something). Niseko Annupuri It seems Niseko Annupuri is opening as normal. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6am: -5℃, 10cm snowfall, small development of snowdrifts. Moiwa 800m: W10m/s, 20cm snowfall and snowdrifts development. Mikaeri 740m: -7.6℃, W7.1m/s, 50cm new snow and development of snowdrifts. Annupuri 1150m: -11℃, NW10m/s, 50cm snowdrifts. Hirafu 1000m: -12℃, no snowfall but snowdrifts development. Benkei cape: N11m/s, Kamui cape: N11m/s, 1014hPa, 3.2m waves. The wind remains strong above 800m elevation and snowdrifts are continuing to develop. 80cm thick slabs are present and growing in knoll terrain above 800m elevation. The avalanche risk is high this morning, especially in upper parts, knolls and cornice slopes with heavy load of wind-affected snowdrifts. Peak gates opening is still undecided, please respect the patrol’s decision. Many of the accidents occur during and just after storms. Avalanches are natural phenomena; in Niseko, most of them are caused by collapsing unstable snowdrifts. Do not drop into snowdrift loaded slopes. Accidents can be averted by avoiding hazardous slopes. The snow in the trees is a bit shallow but in good shape, beware of tomahawking into hidden pockets of heavy snowdrifts. Avalanche mechanism related experiments are in operation around the Mikaeri cat track, we appreciate your understanding and cooperation. --- Official resort snow depths as of Thursday 21st January 2016: Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Top - 300cm Base - 120cm Niseko Village Top - 270cm Base - 160cm Niseko Annupuri Top - 240cm Base - 160cm Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Thursday 21st January 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 550cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 40 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 31cm (17th January) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 244cm reported on 17 days January 2016 snowfall 245cm 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 3cm Snowfall at base this season 535cm Posted on Tuesday 19th January 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here The day started off seemingly fairly calm yesterday morning, but unfortunately by mid morning there were some lift disruptions due to windy conditions. First to be stopped was the top King Number 3 at Niseko Grand Hirafu as early as 9am, and then by 10:30am all of the top lifts at each of the four resort areas were not moving, with the Annupuri Gondola and Jumbo Number 3 lifts also finishing their day by early afternoon. I have just 3cm of new snowfall to report to you this morning since yesterday. It is not as cold as it has been this morning but there are windy conditions on mountain from the start of the day. Niseko Annupuri are reporting northerly winds of up to 19m/s on their upper slopes. From the start of the day the top lifts at all areas but Hanazono are waiting on conditions and the peak gates will be closed. As mentioned in the Avalanche Report this morning we should expect conditions to be somewhat different from the last few days with the wind blowing the snow around and snowdrifts. Extra care is needed. We can probably expect a similar picture tomorrow morning as well by the way. This storm is so far bringing us here in Niseko less snow and just strong wind - where's the fun in that? - but it is great to see that lots of other ski resort areas of Japan have been getting some decent snow. Those scenes looked more like the usual scenes we see each winter, rather than all this talk of lack of snow. Let's hope that it continues. Oh yes, and more snow up here too please. I know, I'm greedy. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6am: -5℃, light snowfall. Moiwa 800m: -6℃, E10m/s, snowdrifts development. Mikaeri 740m: -5.5℃, NW12.1m/s, large snowdrift development. Annupuri 1150m: E23m/s. Hirafu 1000m: -6℃, NE10m/s, snowdrifts development. Benkei cape: ESE7m/s, Kamui cape ESE4m/s, 998hPa, 1.9m waves. The mountain base is relatively calm. Snowfall is scarce but a strong easterly wind is blowing above 800m, drifting snow and growing packed snowdrifts. Cornices and snowdrifts in knolls will drastically develop as the day goes by and the avalanche risk will rise accordingly. Be careful as heavy snowdrifts are also present inbounds. Snowdrifts growth depends on the windspeed; the stronger the wind, the faster they grow, and fast growing snowdrifts are the most unstable, easily collapsing with the slightest stimulations, triggering larger avalanches as they slide. Today’s snow is totally different from yesterday’s. Be prudent and plan according to the conditions. Peak gates will be closed today. Please follow the ski patrol’s instructions and do not duck ropes to step out of bounds. The snow will be better soon. --- Official resort snow depths as of Tuesday 19th January 2016: Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Top - 340cm Base - 160cm Niseko Village Top - 260cm Base - 150cm Niseko Annupuri Top - 230cm Base - 160cm Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Tuesday 19th January 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 535cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 38 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 31cm (17th January) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 244cm reported on 17 days January 2016 snowfall 230cm reported on 17 days Previous report Next report All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Kutchan/Niseko. The 'new snowfall' number represents the amount of snow measured since the previous report. All opinions are those of the individual reporters. Information regarding ski area operations is manually checked every morning and is believed to be correct at the time of the report. SnowJapan is an entirely independent operation. Our daily reports are not posted on behalf of ski areas or any other business or organisation. Since first going online in 1999, the integrity of this website has always been our top priority, and it is something we are not prepared to compromise. All content is carefully created and written by humans who share a passion for the subject and what SnowJapan stands for. About SnowJapan.com About the daily reporting on SnowJapan.com

Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido New snowfall at base 16cm Snowfall at base this season 592cm Posted on Wednesday 27th January 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Good morning, and I have a decent amount of fresh snow to report this morning... a good 16cm of it observed by myself and the Avi report mentioning up to 30cm of fresh up there. Nice. And the regular snowfall should continue through at least into next week. This morning there's lots of cloud around but some blue sky as well. Perhaps snowfall arriving overnight tonight - just how it should be! Should be a good morning. --- Soon after my report went up yesterday, it seems that wind had it's own ideas and was causing problems with summit lifts. The top lifts at Niseko Grand Hirafu, Niseko Village and Niseko Annupuri were quite quickly put on hold due to wind and apparently poor visibility; to be joined by the Niseko Gondola early afternoon and then the top Niseko Hanazono lift mid afternoon. Oh dear, so much for all being open! Sorry about that - all was looking 'normal' with the information I had available when I was preparing the report. As the Avalanche Report noted so well in the same report, 'be aware of a sudden change in the weather and bad visibility'. It can and does happen. --- It is interesting to see the large messages that are popping up on the Niseko United website and in other places at the moment. It seems that the resorts need to remind some people that season passes are not transferable and that they'll be doing more checks on them from now on - and cancelling any passes that are being used by anyone other than the original owner. Obviously there must have been more than a few instances of people passing around season passes. They have every right to not be happy if people are doing that - it's pretty clear that the passes are not transferable. Anyway, I can't remember seeing such a prominent message like that before so it looks like they are now taking action on it. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6.00am: -4°C, 20cm new snow, minor snowdrift development, stormy. Moiwa 800m: -6°C, NW10m/s, 30cm new snow, snowdrift development. Mikaeri 740m: NNW10m/s, 30cm new snow, snowdrift development. Annupuri 1150m: -8°C, W15m/s, 30cm new snow, poor visibility, snow drift development. Hirafu ridge line -8°C, blizzard conditions, 30cm new snow, snowdrift development. Coastal data: Benkei Cape:NNW12m/s. Kamui Cape W9m/s, 1016hPa, wave 1.3m. Maritime and mountain data suggests the wind below 1000m is starting to drop, however above 1200m blizzard conditions will persist. From observation, around 800m western aspect knolls , 60cm new slabs have grown which will easily fracture from skier stimulation this morning. Peak gates opening times yet to be decided. Please listen to the patrols decisions. Do not ignore the rules and duck the ropes to go out of bounds. Most avalanches occur during and just after snowstorms. The newly developed slabs are unstable and will fracture easily. The frost layer formed from Jan 26 low pressure snowfall will become a weak layer in the future snowpack. Snow conditions change daily, today's avalanche conditions are higher than yesterday. Cautious behavior is prudent. Is your beacon turned on? Snow in the trees is reset and in great condition. --- Official resort snow depths as of Wednesday 27th January 2016: Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Top - 320cm Base - 130cm Niseko Village Top - 270cm Base - 160cm Niseko Annupuri Top - 260cm Base - 160cm Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Wednesday 27th January 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 592cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 43 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 31cm (17th January) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 244cm reported on 17 days January 2016 snowfall 287cm 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 562cm Posted on Saturday 23rd January 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here Good morning from Niseko where the headline for the day is 12cm of fresh light snowfall round my place here near Hirafu base. Interestingly the Avalanche report (below) is reporting 20-40cm of snow on the mountain which I think definitely needs to be investigated first hand this morning. I will selflessly volunteer for such a job! It was a lovely day yesterday and there's lots of blue sky around this morning as well. There is more cloud around than yesterday and shadows being cast, but still the blue skies are generally winning out just at the moment. It is pretty calm here at base though I hear there's a moderate westerly wind as you get higher up the mountain. As of 8:30am though all of the resorts appear to be opening up as normal. We are told to expect the chance of some snow later on today - and regular top-ups through the coming week as well. What we can expect over the coming days still seems to be more a case of 'steady regular' than 'huge dumpage'. --- Niseko Grand Hirafu today have upped their snow depth for upper slopes to 315cm. Of more interest, as of yesterday I had recorded/observed more snowfall for the month of January 2016 than I did for the whole of December 2015. Today that January 2016 observed snowfall number for here at base rises to 257cm... which just so happens to be exactly the number that I recorded for the whole of January 2015 (last season). That means that any further snowfall we get this month will be more than January last season. We're still quite a ways behind the ongoing total for the season though. You can find these numbers lower down on this page. (If you are viewing this on the mobile site, please go to the PC version to see it all). --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6.00am: -7°C, 20cm new snowfall, calm. Moiwa 800m: -10°C, NW8m/s, 30cm new snowfall. Mikaeri 740m: -9.7°C, light winds, 40cm new snow, no snowdrift development. Annupuri 1150m: -13°C, NW13m/s, 40cm new snowfall. Hirafu 1000m: -10°C, NW10m/s, 30cm new snow, snowdrift development on eastern aspect.. Coastal data: Benkei Cape:NW10m/s. Kamui Cape SW8m/s, 1017hPa, wave 2.3m. A passing small low pressure system has dropped 30cm of crystal snow overnight. Above 1000m there is moderately strong NW wind and on leeward slopes snowdrifts are growing gradually. From data and observation general avalanche risk is low. All peak gates are expected to be open. Please listen to the patrols advice before passing through gates. Take care in Higashi one(east ridge) area, the surface has been scoured by past wind and now covered by snowdrifts. The newly developed cornice will easily fracture which can trigger an avalanche below. Dont wait on steep leeward slopes or at the valley bottoms. Always be aware of avalanches from above. Snow around 800m is reset and the snow in the trees is very good. Do not overestimate your skills or equipment. Through caution and care avoid having an accident. --- Official resort snow depths as of Saturday 23rd January 2016: Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Top - 315cm Base - 140cm Niseko Village Top - 270cm Base - 160cm Niseko Annupuri Top - 250cm Base - 160cm Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Saturday 23rd January 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 562cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 41 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 31cm (17th January) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 244cm reported on 17 days January 2016 snowfall 257cm reported on 20 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 14cm Snowfall at base this season 576cm Posted on Tuesday 26th January 2016 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here A very good morning to you from here near Hirafu base. I have 14cm of fresh snow to report here at base this morning with most of that was falling later on in the day yesterday and late night. Not bad! More please. (I always want more). First lifts should be good today and it looks like there are lots of people thinking the same too waiting for the lifts to start moving. Wind doesn't seem to be an issue this morning and so I expect the resorts to be opening as planned and gates are expected to be open. It is snowing as I write this and indeed the 6-day forecast has regular snow lined up each day so hopefully we will get the daily top-ups. --- It is Australia Day today and of course there are more than a handful of good Australian folk here in Niseko, either on holiday or working. No doubt there will be some fun celebrations as well, so I will see you in the bar tonight! --- A close friend mentioned to me last night that I'm still not half way through my daily reporting duties for the season (if you didn't know, I continue posting these reports every day right through until the end of the season in early May). It's pretty daunting when I think about it like that, just have to take it one day at a time. Help me out by keeping on reading even if your Niseko visit is over and done for the season, ok! Arigato. --- Niseko Avalanche Report: Niseko base 6.00am: -7°C, 15cm crystal snowfall, calm. Moiwa 800m: -8°C, W5m/s, 20cm new snow, minor snowdrift development. Mikaeri 740m: -8.0°C, light winds, 30cm new snow. Annupuri 1150m: -9°C, W10-15m/s. Hirafu ridge line -10°C, w5m/s, 20cm new snow, minor snowdrift development. Coastal data: Benkei Cape:WNW14m/s. Kamui Cape SW14m/s, 1015hPa, wave 1.4m. Isobars are far apart and the weather is calm. Snow fell till around midnight and has settled till dawn. Leeward slopes are reset. From data and observation general avalanche risk is low. All peak gates are expected to be open. Please talk to the patrol before going out of bounds. It is possible the wind will pick up above 1000m with the passing of a low pressure trough. Be aware of a sudden change in the weather and bad visibility. Snow conditions above 1000m are crusty, snow in the trees is good. Do not enter Strictly Off Limits areas(Yu no Sawa, Haru no Taki). If you get caught you will loose your pass and you season will be finished. Respect and follow Niseko Rules. Your freedom and a minimum level of safety to ride out of bounds is protected by Niseko Rules. Have a safe day. --- Official resort snow depths as of Tuesday 26th January 2016: Niseko Grand Hirafu & Hanazono Top - 310cm Base - 135cm Niseko Village Top - 270cm Base - 160cm Niseko Annupuri Top - 250cm Base - 160cm Niseko Now 2015-2016 season Data as of Tuesday 26th January 2016 Total snowfall at base so far 576cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 42 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 31cm (17th January) November 2015 snowfall 61cm reported on 4 days December 2015 snowfall 244cm reported on 17 days January 2016 snowfall 271cm reported on 21 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