Hakuba Snow Report December 29

Well it’s a balmy 4 degrees C in the valley this morning with temperatures rising before they drop later this afternoon. Right now we are experiencing RAIN up to 1650 metres. The only good news to be found today is that once the temperature drops we will have what looks like could produce a week of intense snow. So get your old seventies neon poncho out of the closet and enjoy the water slide action on all the resorts today. If there was a day to take up tubing this would be it.

It could be global warming or then again it could be that everyone left their front door open over the night.

Check back after noon for a ‘Crack ‘o’ Nooners’ update on a change in the weather

Backcountry Travel Advisory:

Extreme caution should be taken by anyone planning to go into the back country today. Travel in the backcountry is ill advised as all slopes are being rapidly loaded with rain to Tree line and snow has collected deep up high in the Alpine. The winds are calm today but have recently been strong on the ridges and predominantly out of the west. This would have created loaded Eastern and North-Eastern slopes and with the rain on these they are much more likely to fail in the older snow-pack. Not a day for hiking.

Hazard:

Above tree line: High

Tree line: Considerable

Below tree line: Moderate

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Happo-One:

BASE DEPTH: 60 cm(at the base); 140 cm(at 1500m)

NEW SNOW FALL:0 cm(at the base); 0 cm(at 1500m)

Goryu/47:

BASE DEPTH:60 cm(at the base); 190 cm(at 1500m)

NEW SNOW FALL: 0 cm(at the base); 0 cm(at 1500m)

Tsugaike Kogen:

BASE DEPTH: 60 cm(at the base); 180 cm(at 1500m)

NEW SNOW FALL: 0 cm(at the base); 0 cm(at 1500m)

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TEMPERATURE IN THE VILLAGE: 4 degrees C.

TEMPERATURE AT TOP OF MOUNTAIN:3 degrees

WIND:Light South-Westerlies

VISIBILITY:Average due to rain.

LIFT OPERATION:The three Sun Alpina Resorts, Goryu Toomi, Hakuba 47, Happo-One, Iwatake, Tsugaike Kogen, Norikura and Cortina upper slopes open with some lower slopes and lifts in operation. Goryu, Happo & Tsugaike lower lifts are mostly running.

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