Snow Report 28 July 2016 - Australia & New Zealand

Its great to see winter has finally arrived in New Zealand and all the skifields are now open. Both sides of the Tasman now have great winter snow conditions and August is looking excellent for trips up to the mountains.

AUSTRALIA

An incredible amount of rain fell at the end of last week with floods seen in the NSW mountains even at lift level. The rain thankfully turned to snow on Friday night but the damage was considerable.

Some good snowfalls from Saturday to Wednesday has repaired what damage was done. If only the rain hadn't been so torrential we could have been sitting on a huge snow base.

Nevertheless there have been cracking powder conditions earlier this week and hopefully we can build on this.

There looks like more snow to come over the next week or so, especially around the beginning of August. Enjoy!

Hotham 26.07.16 - Hotham Facebook

Mt Baw Baw

Better conditions at Baw Baw after the washout at the end of last week. The rebuilding each time is frustrating! Snow depth: 12-18cm

Mt Buller

A great recovery for Buller after its cover almost washed away before last weekend. Most lifts have reopened over the last few days, including Bull Run and South Side. Snow depth: 53-84cm

Mt Hotham

Super conditions at Hotham earlier this week. Blue Ribbon opened yesterday and its only a matter of time before Gotcha, Keogh's and The Orchard open again with the base around 1 metre. Snow depth: 104-114cm

Perisher 28.07.16 - perisher.com.au

Falls Creek

International Poma has reopened meaning the whole mountain is open at Falls! Snow depth: 114-122cm

Perisher

Perisher has bounced back from the heavy rains and has complete cover again. 44 lifts running today and 73 groomed runs.

Thredbo

In the last seven days, Thredbo is reporting 85cm of snow has fallen .. and there are 14 lifts open today to enjoy the snow!

Selwyn Snowfields

Selwyn has rebuilt its cover since the weekend and today has all runs open again and good snow conditions.


NEW ZEALAND

Porters - skiporters.co.nz

Good snowfalls on the weekend and into this week got most of the skifields open and building up their bases. Canterbury still needs some more snow but at least the Porters and Hutt have better conditions.

Cracking snowfalls over the last day in Queenstown/Wanaka with the skifields reporting 30-50cm and creating awesome conditions!

Looks like some fine days coming up with maybe another snowfall on the weekend.

Snow conditions:

North Canterbury and Nelson

Rainbow 30-40cm
Mt Lyford 20cm

Treble Cone 28.07.16 - treblecone.com

Canterbury

Mt Hutt 40-70cm
Porters 35-65cm

The Mackenzie

Roundhill 40cm
Mt Dobson 20-30cm
Ohau 40-60cm

Wanaka

Treble Cone 40-120cm
Cardrona 65-95cm

Queenstown

Coronet Peak 65-135cm
The Remarkables 75-100cm

Snow Report 21 July 2016 - Australia & New Zealand

There is a lot of weather around this weekend as a series of large fronts make their way across eastern Australia and the Tasman Sea.

AUSTRALIA

Its currently raining everywhere across the Australian ski resorts and lifts are on wind hold. The winds should ease a bit on Saturday morning as the rain turns to snow.

30-40cm could fall on the upper slopes, with 10-15cm lower down. That should repair some of the damage that has been done during the week in the mild conditions.

Mt Hotham 19.07.16 - Hotham Facebook

Looks like snow breaking out again on Sunday continuing on and off all week.

Mt Baw Baw

Not much snow to speak of at the moment. This should change on Saturday and lets hope Baw Baw gets enough to get the lifts running. Snow depth: 0-24cm

Mt Buller

Up and down at Buller as snowfalls are then washed away. Hoping the rain turns quickly to snow on Friday night. Snow depth: 25-50cm

Mt Hotham

Blue Ribbon, Gotcha, Keogh's and The Orchard opened but ended up closing again. There should be enough new snow to get these areas open again after the weekend. Snow depth: 64-86cm

Falls Creek

Thredbo 22.07.16 - Thredbo Facebook

Plenty of terrain open at Falls but patchy lower down. Snow depth: 59-81cm

Perisher

A warm week at Perisher has knocked off a few lifts, but lots still open and the new snowfalls will change all that.

Thredbo

Runs starting to look a little brown lower down at Thredbo. Best conditions will be up high until the snow comes.


NEW ZEALAND

Conditions are much better in Queenstown and Wanaka, but the Canterbury fields have really missed out this season.

Rainbow 18.07.16 - Rainbow Facebook

Looks like snow this weekend down south, but starting as rain at lower altitudes. This time Canterbury should get some of the joy as well. Hopefully a large amount of snow before it clears early next week.

Snow conditions:

North Canterbury and Nelson

Rainbow 25-35cm
Mt Lyford 15cm

Canterbury

Mt Hutt 35-40cm
Porters 20-40cm

The Mackenzie

Roundhill 30cm

Coronet Peak 20.07.16 - Coronet Peak Facebook

Mt Dobson 20-30cm
Ohau 40-50cm

Wanaka

Treble Cone 10-78cm
Cardrona 45-65cm

Queenstown

Coronet Peak 30-100cm
The Remarkables 70-95cm

Snow Report 14 July 2016 - Australia & New Zealand

Snow, snow, snow! Whichever side of the Tasman you're on there is some good news in terms of snowfalls!

Mt Hotham 14.07.16 - Mt Hotham Facebook

AUSTRALIA

A mild and wet weekend depleted much of the snow at the Australian ski resorts, with the lower slopes looking very brown by Monday.

By Tuesday the storm arrived bringing blizzard conditions with massive winds. The snow started up high and then lowered further during Wednesday, making all the runs white again! 30-50cm fell in this storm. Pick of the days of the season have been over the last few days.

Enjoy the weekend conditions when the sun will peep through for great on and off-piste hero skiing!

Mt Baw Baw

New snowfalls this week at Baw Baw have got things going again. Snow depth: 13-50cm

Mt Buller

30cm from the storm for Buller which has reopened a heap of lifts that had to close last week. Only Grimus, Boggy Creek and Federation remained closed Thursday. Snow depth: 53-81cm

Mt Hotham

We could be looking at some of Blue Ribbon, Gotcha, Keogh's and The Orchard opening in the next few days once all this snowfall has been organised! Snow depth: 94-105cm

Thredbo 14.07.16 - Thredbo Facebook

Falls Creek

International Poma is set to open this weekend meaning all of Falls is accessible and most of it skiable. Great conditions this weekend! Snow depth: 85-95cm

Perisher

46 of 48 lifts top open at Perisher tomorrow and at the weekend. You can't ask for more than that in mid-July!

Thredbo

Super conditions at Thredbo with 13 of 14 lifts open earlier today.


NEW ZEALAND

Difficult conditions continued again through the weekend. Snow arrived in the Queenstown area at higher altitudes on Wednesday, lowering through Thursday and speeding things up a bit after the slow start in the South.

By Thursday morning there was 10-20cm new snow at the skifields around Queenstown and Wanaka in this storm. Enough to get things going at some skifields that have not opened yet. Things weren't quite as positive in Canterbury despite some new wind-affected snowfall. Crazy winds have prevented the skifields from opening.

Should be more snow into Friday so the weekend could be pretty good in places once the wind eases!

Updated (again!) opening dates for all skifields are:

North Canterbury and Nelson

Rainbow opening 16th July 2016 with 15cm snow
Mt Lyford - 30cm

Canterbury

Treble Cone 14.07.16 - treblecone.com

Mt Hutt - 30-40cm

Porters - 20-40cm

The Mackenzie

Ohau - 30-40cm

Roundhill - 30cm

Mt Dobson - 20-30cm

Wanaka

Treble Cone has announced it will open Saturday 16th July.

Cardrona 45-65cm

Queenstown

Coronet Peak - 15-45cm

The Remarkables - 35-60cm

Snow Report 7 July 2016 - Australia & New Zealand

Not a lot of change in the situation since last week. The good early snow conditions in Australia continued with another top-up before last weekend but things got a little damp midweek. Not a great improvement in New Zealand despite a dusting and cooler temperatures.

AUSTRALIA

The week in the Australian Alps has been cloudy, windy and snowy up high. Snowfalls arrived on Tuesday but sadly turned to rain on Wednesday. This affected the lower slopes and stripped much of the snow. It got very windy on Wednesday and Thursday with lifts not operating, especially in Victoria.

There could be some snow tomorrow before it clears a little into the weekend. Next week looks good for snow, and to much lower levels than we have seen this week. In the meantime, Perisher and Falls always do well in the early season when snow depths are lower, being able to open more terrain.

Mt Baw Baw

Not good news as wet weather over the past week has removed most of the cover at Baw Baw. Looking better for snow next week. Snow depth: 15cm

Mt Buller

Mt Hotham 07.07.16 - Hotham Facebook

More lifts opened last weekend with Shakey Knees, Bull Run (for Standard), South Side, and Grimus (for Summit Slide) turning. 5cm snow into Wednesday but no new snow into Thursday and Bull Run and South Side was closed this morning. Snow depth: 42-84cm

Mt Hotham

Gotcha, Keogh's and The Orchard need more snow. 8cm of snow into Wednesday. Snow depth: 48cm

Falls Creek

All lifts open at Falls except for International Poma. Parts of the Maze opened at the weekend but would be a bit marginal now. Snow depth: 57-63cm

Perisher

Selwyn Snow Resort 03.07.16 - Selwayn Facebook

45 of 48 lifts, 60 groomed runs at Perisher. 20cm snow into Wednesday.

Thredbo

13 of 14 lifts opened this week at Thredbo, 38 of 57 runs.


NEW ZEALAND

A dusting on the weekend followed by mainly fine days this week. Not a lot in the forecast for the weekend in the Queenstown-Wanaka region, but maybe snow for Mount Hutt and Canterbury in the next day or so.

Updated (again!) opening dates for all skifields are:

North Canterbury and Nelson

Rainbow opening 16th July 2016
Mt Lyford revised opening date of 9th July 2016

Canterbury

Mt Hutt opened 10th June 2016. Skiing and riding is limited but conditions have improved since temperatures dropped enough for snowmaking to occur.

Porters opening for school holidays, dependent on snowmaking.

The Mackenzie

Ohau revised opening date tomorrow 8th July 2016

Roundhill opened for the first time this season today 7th July 2016

Mt Dobson 03.07.16 - Mt Dobson Facebook

Mt Dobson reopening on 9th July 2016

Wanaka

Treble Cone is closed

Cardrona opened 11th June 2016. Skiing on groomed runs.

Queenstown

Coronet Peak opening again this Saturday after a massive snowmaking effort.

The Remarkables opened 18th June 2016.