It is wild and stormy out there today! We have recorded 21cm of new snowfall which means we have now smashed through the 10 metre mark for the 2021-22 winter season! The current Niseko weather – strong wind howling through the area all night – means you will get wildly different readings across the Niseko ski resort area today. We would strongly suggest this is a day to stay safe and warm indoors. Most ski lifts will not be operating today with Niseko Hanazono going so far as to announce in advance that they would be CLOSED all day today due to blizzard warnings. Even if the other Niseko ski resorts are able to operate some ski lifts, a lot of roads in and around Niseko and Kutchan are closed making it difficult to get around. Driving should be considered dangerous due to low visibility. Staying in your Niseko accommodation and taking the day off is highly recommended – once the wind dies down we are in for several days of heavy snowfall, with around 80cm forecast to fall in Niseko Grand Hirafu over the next 3 days!
This was the scene at 8:30am this morning when the Niseko ski resorts open and the ski lifts start carrying people up to the powder kingdom. All lifts in grey are suspended / closed.
Please ensure you bookmark the JSE Snow Report and follow us on Instagram to keep up to date with what is happening in Niseko, Hakuba and beyond this winter!
Total accumulated snowfall for winter season 2021-22: 1025cm
*November 2021: 110cm
**December 2021: 291cm
***January 2022: 361cm
****February 2022: 263cm so far