NISEKO SNOW REPORTS

BY JAPAN SKI EXPEIENCE

Niseko Japan, located on the northern island of Hokkaido, is renowned for its exceptional powder snow. The area receives an average annual snowfall of over 15 meters, characterized by its light, fluffy consistency and dryness due to the cold Siberian winds that sweep across the region. This combination of quantity and quality make Niseko a powder mecca for skiers and snowboarders worldwide and make following a Niseko snow report pretty exciting, especially if you are heading to Niseko any time soon!

Our Hokkaido team led by Ben Thorpe and Duncan Manser are based locally and update this Niseko snow report regularly throughout the winter. Check here for original photography, videos and analysis, giving you the chance to experience the season in Niseko, wherever you are! Our Niseko snow reports use data collected from our snow station which is located in Kutchan town, a 10 minute drive from Niseko Grand Hirafu and Hanazono ski resorts, 176 m above sea level. The figures on the measuring sticks you see in our Niseko snow reports represent 10 cm of snow, with each black line representing 1 cm.

Niseko Snow Depth Summary for the 2022-2023 Season

Over 10 meters of snowfall was recorded over the 2022-2023 season, which given the challenges of measuring snow as it’s blowing away, represents only a proportion of what actually fell. After a slow start in November, December saw consistent daily snowfall, albeit with a few days of unseasonably warm (just above freezing!) weather.

January delivered with back to back powder days, although wind has made it challenging for Niseko Snow Reports to record accurate snowfall. A huge storm towards the end of January saw lift closures and travel chaos, but visitors were rewarded by one of the most stunning bluebird powder days you can imagine. Japanuary ended on a high with plenty of fresh snow reported, cold temperatures and pristine snow conditions.

The very beginning of February saw a continuance of high winds but by the 3rd these died down and our Niseko snow report team recorded over a meter of fresh new powder in the first week of February alone! The Sapporo snow festival 2023 may have provided a temptation to travel further afield in the second week of February, but snow conditions continued to get better and better throughout the middle of the month with medium to heavy snowfall most days, low winds and pristine powder. The end of February heralded the kind of fresh powder snow that dreams are made of, day after day after day! The last days of February and first of March saw a start to the slight warming of temperatures that is common at this time of the season, but we were saved on the 3rd and 4th with fresh dumps of powder reminiscent of mid-Winter!

If you are looking for even more daily snowfall analysis, seasonal archives and snow depth data, we recommend checking out Snow Japan’s Niseko Now page.