Australia’s snow season has officially begun, with a significant snowfall of 20 to 40 centimeters across the alpine regions of New South Wales and Victoria. The Bureau of Meteorology reports sunny conditions on the NSW slopes, while Victoria is expecting flurries of snow over the weekend.
Snowfall Details
Perisher recorded 30 centimeters of snowfall over the past week, with a natural snow depth of 22 centimeters. Artificial snow is being used to supplement the natural cover in certain areas. The weather forecast for Sunday in Perisher Valley is sunny, with a low of minus 5 degrees Celsius and a high of 9 degrees.
Thredbo received 13 centimeters of snow over the past week, but multiple runs are still open on the mountain. In Victoria, Mt Hotham saw 31 centimeters of snowfall, and Mountain Watch predicts flurries of snow on Sunday, with temperatures ranging from minus 3 to 5 degrees Celsius. Similar conditions are expected at Mt Buller, which had 25 centimeters of snow.
Artificial Snow Supplement
Mt Buller communications manager Rhylla Morgan confirmed that the resort is supplementing natural snow with manmade snow. “We had some beautiful snowfall this week, 25 centimeters at Buller… and of course we’ve been making plenty of snow as well to ensure that people can ski, as they are enjoying right now,” she said. As of Saturday evening, Mt Buller had produced 63 centimeters of artificial snow to complement the natural falls.
El Nino Concerns
The start of the ski season comes despite concerns that the expected declaration of El Nino could lead to a poor season. Sky News Weather Senior Meteorologist Rob Sharpe wrote on Saturday that while El Nino typically reduces snow depths in Australia, there are still good days ahead. “Despite this grim natural snow forecast, there will likely be some perfect skiing at times,” he said. “Snowmaking capabilities at resorts are improving each year – and this year’s extra clear skies should allow for plentiful manmade snow. Add to that the extra sunshine and I’m sure that there will be some stunning days and weeks at the slopes – even if the natural snow is dismal.”
