Onze Ski Jou in Sapporo or more correctly Zenibako Otaru is getting ready to open. On a quick trip into Sapporo yesterday the white line of man made snow is visible from on the Ishikari plain. Due to open on the 22nd of this month, we would say this will happen without fail, even if it is only made snow? snowing outside now here...
Snow Cruise Onze http://onze.jp/ (Japanese Only)
with the peak of Niseko Annupuri still bear of snow and looking at Mt. Yotei, the snowline is currently settled in at about 1400m, temperatures remain low and look to stay stable throughout the week so maybe after the next snowfall to town level on Thursday Niseko Annupuri might stay snow capped on the week running into opening day, lets hope.
a couple of pictures showing snow level dropped to valley level again.
the outlook is for temperatures to rise again so by the weekend most of the snow will have melted, quite normal for this time off season.
temperatures drop again on the rollercoast ride into winter, hail during the day with intermitten snowfall. snowfall into the night.
outlook for coming days is for the temperatures to rise.
take a look at the weather snapshot taken from our weather page.
On the 27th of snow creeped down Niseko Annupuri and just at dusk views of the backbowl with dusting were visible, on the morning of the 28th temperature had lowered even more and snow was at village level all the way down into Kutchan. Just a dusting of snow blanketed the whole region but a true sign of winter had arrived, well momentarily at least.
At 6am this morning with no sign of the forecast rain outside, dry roads and foliage we were unsure if it had snowed or not. As it was forecast to snow down to town level, a check on the mountain showed some signs of cold, we put it down to a frost on the southside of the mountian in Annupuri, others are calling snow... you decided but one thing for sure is the winter altitude is dropping, it sure is colder up there than a week ago.
Once again Mt. Yotei gets a dusting of snow on the 14 of October when a cold weather system moved through. It was forecast to snow to about 1200m but when the clouds broke yestrday evening no snow was present on the the peak of Annupuri, that is not to say it didn't snow up there with temperatres at 400m in Annupuri getting down to 5˚c. So we still wait for snow to settle on Annupuri this autumn.
Today was a beautiful autumn day with temperatures rising to13˚c.
Below are photos taken at 8am and 12am respectively on the 15th of October 2014
When we get a glimpse of upper Mt. Yotei today the snow is visible under the cloud cap, the estimated snow level is about 1400m, the lowest so far. Temperatures are on the down with every storm that comes through, however with temperatures rising again tomorrow it is doubtful this snowfall will stick around. The usual ebb and flow into winter is upon us though.
Looking across the valley and seeing the clouds covering the top of Yotei and the snowline at about 600m on Friday and now snow on the peaks for a few week you maybe wondering if this is normal for the resort not to open on time?
Two days ago after we had about 60cm of snow down on the farmlands I took a early morning hike up to the top of dai ni chairlift, that's the second chairlift on Niseko Annupuri Ski Resort. Half way up I checked the snow depth using my hiking pole and it came in at about just over the first extension lock or about 58cm.
