Since the first snow on Mt An’nupuri on October 1st , locals have been pondering the season. Though village level falls were slightly late, since then everything’s been good.
And as we go to press a sweeping snow system looks set to deliver 2m+ of white gold all the way from Siberia! Yep, for Niseko, Russia’s greatest export isn’t vodka – it’s snow. Hokkaido’s snow starts as cold air blowing across Siberia. This picks up moisture over the warmer Sea of Japan and continues southeast until it strikes the Niseko mountains and drops that fluffy pow right here.
So with one snow system about to arrive – and another just behind it – we’re looking at a better early winter than the last couple. The signs are good that 2011/12 may end up better even than 08/09’s epic season!