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Ski resort in Hokkaido, Japan
Niseko United
Four linked ski areas on Mount Annupuri, famous for frequent, light powder snow.
Forecast updated , when it was 22:00 in Niseko United (GMT+9).
Niseko United snow forecast at 1,188 m (top lift)
Next 24 hours on the upper mountain
No snow in the next 24 hours.
No snow expected in the next 7 days.
High confidence, all three forecast models agree
No snow is forecast for Niseko United at the top lift (1,188 m / 3,900 ft) in the next 7 days, and all three weather models we compare agree. Expect temperatures from 5 to 15 °C (41 to 59 °F) and the freezing level near 4,150 m (13,600 ft) over the next day.
- Temperature now
- 5 °C (41 °F)
- Freezing level
- 4,150 m (13,600 ft)
- Wind
- 3 km/h (2 mph), gusts 6 km/h (4 mph)
Niseko United hour by hour, on the upper mountain
Hourly snowfallNo rain or snow on the upper mountain in Niseko United in the next 24 hours.
Niseko United 7-day snow forecast, on the upper mountain
| Day | Weather | Snowfall |
|---|---|---|
| Tonight | Dry5 °C (41 °F) · freezing level 4,150 m (13,600 ft) | No snow |
| Sat | Dry5 to 15 °C (41 to 59 °F) · freezing level 4,000 m (13,100 ft) | No snow |
| Sun | Dry8 to 17 °C (46 to 63 °F) · freezing level 4,150 m (13,600 ft) | No snow |
| Mon | Dry6 to 17 °C (43 to 63 °F) · freezing level 4,250 m (13,900 ft) | No snow |
| Tue | Dry5 to 14 °C (41 to 57 °F) · freezing level 4,000 m (13,100 ft) | No snow |
| Wed | Dry2 to 14 °C (36 to 57 °F) · freezing level 3,550 m (11,600 ft) | No snow |
| Thu | Dry2 to 12 °C (36 to 54 °F) · freezing level 3,250 m (10,700 ft) | No snow |
Niseko United 14-day snow outlook, on the upper mountain
Days 8 to 14. Only two of our three models run this far ahead, and forecasts at this range often change, so read this as a guide to the pattern rather than a plan.
| Day | Weather | Snowfall |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 25 Sep | Dry0 to 12 °C (32 to 54 °F) | No snow |
| Sat 26 Sep | Dry4 to 10 °C (39 to 50 °F) | No snow |
| Sun 27 Sep | Rain3 to 12 °C (37 to 54 °F) | No snow |
| Mon 28 Sep | Dry2 to 10 °C (36 to 50 °F) | No snow |
| Tue 29 Sep | Dry3 to 11 °C (37 to 52 °F) | No snow |
| Wed 30 Sep | Dry4 to 9 °C (39 to 48 °F) | No snow |
| Thu 1 Oct | Dry2 to 10 °C (36 to 50 °F) | No snow |
How much snow is there in Niseko United on the upper mountain?
No snow on the ground
This is an estimate from weather models, not a measurement, so it can differ from the depth a resort reports on its pistes. Check the official snow report before you travel.
Niseko United snow forecast at 255 m (village)
Next 24 hours in the village
No snow in the next 24 hours.
No snow expected in the next 7 days.
High confidence, all three forecast models agree
No snow is forecast for Niseko United in the village (255 m / 800 ft) in the next 7 days, and all three weather models we compare agree. Expect temperatures from 11 to 21 °C (52 to 70 °F) and the freezing level near 4,150 m (13,600 ft) over the next day.
- Temperature now
- 12 °C (54 °F)
- Freezing level
- 4,150 m (13,600 ft)
- Wind
- 3 km/h (2 mph), gusts 6 km/h (4 mph)
Niseko United hour by hour, in the village
Hourly snowfallNo rain or snow in the village in Niseko United in the next 24 hours.
Niseko United 7-day snow forecast, in the village
| Day | Weather | Snowfall |
|---|---|---|
| Tonight | Dry12 °C (54 °F) · freezing level 4,150 m (13,600 ft) | No snow |
| Sat | Dry11 to 21 °C (52 to 70 °F) · freezing level 4,000 m (13,100 ft) | No snow |
| Sun | Dry14 to 23 °C (57 to 73 °F) · freezing level 4,150 m (13,600 ft) | No snow |
| Mon | Dry13 to 23 °C (55 to 73 °F) · freezing level 4,250 m (13,900 ft) | No snow |
| Tue | Dry11 to 20 °C (52 to 68 °F) · freezing level 4,000 m (13,100 ft) | No snow |
| Wed | Dry8 to 20 °C (46 to 68 °F) · freezing level 3,550 m (11,600 ft) | No snow |
| Thu | Dry8 to 18 °C (46 to 64 °F) · freezing level 3,250 m (10,700 ft) | No snow |
Niseko United 14-day snow outlook, in the village
Days 8 to 14. Only two of our three models run this far ahead, and forecasts at this range often change, so read this as a guide to the pattern rather than a plan.
| Day | Weather | Snowfall |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 25 Sep | Dry6 to 19 °C (43 to 66 °F) | No snow |
| Sat 26 Sep | Dry10 to 16 °C (50 to 61 °F) | No snow |
| Sun 27 Sep | Rain9 to 18 °C (48 to 64 °F) | No snow |
| Mon 28 Sep | Dry8 to 17 °C (46 to 63 °F) | No snow |
| Tue 29 Sep | Dry9 to 17 °C (48 to 63 °F) | No snow |
| Wed 30 Sep | Dry10 to 16 °C (50 to 61 °F) | No snow |
| Thu 1 Oct | Dry8 to 16 °C (46 to 61 °F) | No snow |
How much snow is there in Niseko United in the village?
No snow on the ground
This is an estimate from weather models, not a measurement, so it can differ from the depth a resort reports on its pistes. Check the official snow report before you travel.
Where is Niseko United?
- Prefecture
- Hokkaido
- Country
- Japan
- Village
- 255 m
- Top lift
- 1,188 m
- Vertical
- 933 m
- Season
- Late November to Early May
- Airports
- New Chitose (CTS)
- Official
- Lifts open, Webcams, Piste map, Avalanche bulletin
- Passes
- Ikon Pass, Mountain Collective
- Website
- www.niseko.ne.jp
About Niseko United
Niseko United links Grand Hirafu, Hanazono, Niseko Village and Annupuri on one lift pass. Cold air crossing the Sea of Japan brings regular heavy snowfall through the winter, and Mount Yōtei is visible across the valley on clear days.
The snow
Niseko is the most famous powder resort in the world, and the reason is geography. Cold air crossing the Sea of Japan from Siberia hits Mount Annupuri first, and in our record it snows on about 23 days at mid-mountain in December and 21 in January, with 19 in February. The snow is dry and light because the air is so cold, not because the mountain is high: the lifts run between 255 m and 1,188 m. March is noticeably quieter, and the season closes in early May. Snow was on the ground every Christmas Day in the last ten years.
Who it suits
Powder skiers, plainly, and the gates to the off-piste are managed by the resort rather than closed. The four areas, Grand Hirafu, Hanazono, Niseko Village and Annupuri, share a pass and are linked at the top. Hirafu is now an international resort town with prices to match; the tree skiing and the onsens are the compensation.
Getting there
New Chitose airport near Sapporo is about two to three hours by road or by train and bus via Kutchan, depending on the snow.
When does it snow in Niseko United?
In Niseko United, snow falls on about 23 days in December in a typical year, the snowiest month. Snow is regular from November to April.
| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 days | 19 days | 12 days | 5 days | <1 days | 0 days | 0 days | 0 days | 0 days | 1 days | 10 days | 23 days |
Average days each month with at least 1 cm of snowfall at mid-mountain, 2016–2025. Calculated from ERA5 reanalysis data.
Snow in Niseko United month by month
Averages for 2016 to 2025 at mid-mountain, from ERA5 reanalysis data.
| Month | Snow days | Share of the year's snow | Low to high |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 21 | 24% | −12 to −6 °C (10 to 21 °F) |
| February | 19 | 20% | −11 to −5 °C (12 to 23 °F) |
| March | 12 | 14% | −8 to 0 °C (18 to 32 °F) |
| April | 5 | 4% | −3 to 6 °C (27 to 43 °F) |
| May | <1 | 0% | 4 to 14 °C (39 to 57 °F) |
| June | 0 | 0% | 9 to 17 °C (48 to 63 °F) |
| July | 0 | 0% | 14 to 22 °C (57 to 72 °F) |
| August | 0 | 0% | 15 to 22 °C (59 to 72 °F) |
| September | 0 | 0% | 10 to 18 °C (50 to 64 °F) |
| October | 1 | 1% | 3 to 11 °C (37 to 52 °F) |
| November | 10 | 11% | −4 to 2 °C (25 to 36 °F) |
| December | 23 | 25% | −11 to −5 °C (12 to 23 °F) |
Snow in Niseko United in November
In November, Niseko United gets snow on about 10 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 11% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −4 to 2 °C (25 to 36 °F).
Snow in Niseko United in December
In December, Niseko United gets snow on about 23 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 25% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −11 to −5 °C (12 to 23 °F).
Snow in Niseko United in January
In January, Niseko United gets snow on about 21 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 24% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −12 to −6 °C (10 to 21 °F).
Snow in Niseko United in February
In February, Niseko United gets snow on about 19 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 20% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −11 to −5 °C (12 to 23 °F).
Snow in Niseko United in March
In March, Niseko United gets snow on about 12 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 14% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −8 to 0 °C (18 to 32 °F).
Snow in Niseko United in April
In April, Niseko United gets snow on about 5 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 4% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −3 to 6 °C (27 to 43 °F).
Which winters were snowiest in Niseko United?
Of the last ten winters in Niseko United, 2017/18 was the snowiest, about 40% above the ten-year average at mid-mountain. The leanest was 2018/19, about 20% below average. The biggest single day of snowfall in the record was 11 January 2022.
| Winter | Compared with average | |
|---|---|---|
| 2016/17 | 81% of average | |
| 2017/18 | 140% of average | |
| 2018/19 | 80% of average | |
| 2019/20 | 91% of average | |
| 2020/21 | 101% of average | |
| 2021/22 | 114% of average | |
| 2022/23 | 94% of average | |
| 2023/24 | 90% of average | |
| 2024/25 | 98% of average | |
| 2025/26 | 110% of average |
Winters are compared with each other rather than given in centimetres. The ERA5 record is reliable on which winters were big and which were lean, but it underestimates absolute snowfall in the mountains, so the resort's own measured totals are the ones to trust for amounts.
Questions about snow in Niseko United
Does Niseko United have snow at Christmas?
Niseko United had at least 2.5 cm (1 in) of snow on the ground on Christmas Day in every one of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025 at mid-mountain. Fresh snow fell during 20 to 26 December in every one of those years.
Does Niseko United have snow at New Year?
Niseko United had at least 2.5 cm (1 in) of snow on the ground on New Year's Day in every one of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025 at mid-mountain. Fresh snow fell during 27 December to 2 January in every one of those years.
Does Niseko United have snow in mid-February?
Niseko United had at least 2.5 cm (1 in) of snow on the ground on 15 February in every one of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025 at mid-mountain. Fresh snow fell during 10 to 20 February in every one of those years.
Does Niseko United have snow at Easter?
Niseko United had at least 2.5 cm (1 in) of snow on the ground on Easter Sunday in every one of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025 at mid-mountain. Fresh snow fell during Good Friday to Easter Monday in 5 of those years.
How many days a year does it snow in Niseko United?
It snows on about 91 days a year in Niseko United at mid-mountain, counting days with at least 1 cm of snowfall, averaged over 2016 to 2025. December has the most, about 23 days.
What is the snowiest month in Niseko United?
December is the snowiest month in Niseko United, bringing about 25% of the year's snowfall at mid-mountain, based on ERA5 reanalysis data for 2016 to 2025.
Which recent winter was the snowiest in Niseko United?
Of the last ten winters in Niseko United, 2017/18 was the snowiest, about 40% above the ten-year average. The leanest was 2018/19, about 20% below average.
How cold does Niseko United get in winter?
January is the coldest month in Niseko United at mid-mountain, with average daily lows of −12 °C (10 °F) and highs of −6 °C (21 °F).
How high is Niseko United?
The village or lowest lift at Niseko United is at 255 m (800 ft) and the top lift is at 1,188 m (3,900 ft), a vertical drop of 933 m (3,100 ft).
When does the ski season start in Niseko United?
The lifts at Niseko United usually open in late November and close in early May. Exact dates change each year with the snow, so check the resort's own website before you book.
Snow forecasts near Niseko United
Compare Niseko United for snow
More ski resorts in Hokkaido
Facts checked 18 September 2026. Sources: Niseko Tokyu Grand HIRAFU winter season, Skiresort.com, Niseko United