SNOW has continued to fall on the higher peaks around Niseko with the peak of Mt Yotei now with enjoying a good base of snow.
Cold, rainy weather over the past week has ensured snow has been consistently dusting the top quarter to third of the mountain, with large amounts of snow looking to be accumulating in gullies.
Mt Annupuri – the mountain the Niseko resorts are on – also got its first dusting of snow, although nothing has settled.
Weather at village level is really starting to cool down and feel like winter, with day time maximum temperatures around 10 degrees.
We have yet to hear any reports of flakes falling in the village, although we hear there has been some wet snow experienced by drivers on a few of the high mountain passes.
Snow should start to fall at village level soon after the start of November, with the first few heavy dumps sometime in mid-November.
The resort will open sometime between November 20 and the start of December, as soon as there is enough snow.
Signs of winter are everywhere, with ski shops starting to bring out their winter clothes racks and garages starting to advertise winter tyres.
The local yuki mushi (snow bugs) have also arrived, also flagging the impending snow fall.