2025.02.06 Thursday

Mountain base: -4℃, 40cm snowfall. Moiwa 800m: -7.6℃, NW8.1m/s (30m/s@2am), large cornices and snowdrifts development. Mikaeri 750m: -7℃, NW4.6m/s, stormy and bad visibility. Annupuri 1100m: -9.5℃, WNW9.0m/s, 150cm slabs. Hirafu Hanazono: -9.1℃, WNW6.1m/s (30m/s@2am). Coastal data: Benkei cape NW18m/s, Kamui capeW11m/s, 994hPa, 3.3m waves (3am NW18m/s, 4.7m waves). 

The low pressure system positions near Moneron Island, Sakhalin. The atmospheric pressure gradient is steep in the Mamiya Strait and Sea of Japan. Wave heights have reached 4m and the sea and the mountains are in very rough condition.  Slabs of 150+cm have developed in areas above 1000m elevation, 100cm thick dense and heavy windload snow is covering the slopes below 1000m. The avalanche risk is extremely high in all elevation, aspects and terrain types today. All peak gates will be kept closed. The charlifts and gondolas may start running as the wind mellows down, however please refrain from crossing the boundary ropes to access fresh tracks. The windload snow’s weight grows in proportion to the wind speed. The heavier it gets, the slabs get unstable and no matter the presence of obvious weak layers, the tension holding the snow particles together are prone to fracture and cause an avalanche. These types of avalanches can occur instantaneously and be extremely destructive. It is strongly advised not to stimulate cornice slopes and knolls today. This information is issued to prevent accidents in the Niseko backcountry area. Please respect the Niseko Rules. The conditions are very hazardous in the surrounding mountains too. Anyone thinking of going touring today, please be extra careful. 

Quote: Niseko Avalanche Information