Ski fields record 10cm of snow, more on the way

With snowfall expected into next week, the country’s ski fields are rejoicing.

A fresh dusting of snow over Australia’s beleaguered ski fields is “cause for optimism” after early hopes for another bumper season were dashed.

The ski fields in NSW and Victoria recorded snowfall of up to 10cm on Thursday as a cold front pushed over Australia’s southeast, with another on the way.

Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Angus Hines said the second cold front was “waiting in the wings” to deliver even more snowfall into next week.

“There’s a little more cause for optimism in the coming week than there has been over the past four or five weeks, which had been pretty slim pickings,” Mr Hines said.

“It’s not a super powerful cold front with a big dump of snow – It’s not that type of weather system. It’s a mild front that will bring a little snow to higher parts.

“These are little top ups over the next week, none are going to be that really big snow dump which is going to set things right back on course with a big thick snow base.”

While it varies from mountain to mountain, Mr Hines said the ski fields could between 10-15cm of snow above 1300-1400m beginning on Saturday afternoon.

Throughout the coming week, repeated small snowfalls are expected to grace holidayers in the NSW and Victoria ski fields before intensifying again next weekend.

For Thredbo Ski Resort in the NSW Snowy Mountains, the recent dusting of snow brought with it excited videos from skiers and snowboarders hitting the slopes.

“Temperatures have dropped and it’s snowing from mid-mountain,” Thredbo said on Thursday.

“The best part? Forecast says snow will keep falling all next week. Bring it on Mother Nature.”

On Friday morning, Perisher wrote on Facebook: “A top up overnight from Mother Nature and the guns.”

The post is adjoined by a picture of the snow machines which have proved instrumental this season.

The situation was similar across the border, with Mount Hotham Alpine Resort sharing photos on Friday.

In a post captioned “sun and guns”, the resort shared images of the snow machines dusting the slopes.

A record dry and warm winter has presented challenges to the country’s ski fields this snow season.

Mr Hines said prolonged gapes between cold fronts had dashed early hopes for a strong season in 2023.

“June – the first month of winter – was actually quite promising around the mountains,” Mr Hines said.

“There was quite a few regular top-ups of snow through June for the alpine areas.

“The resorts got off to a decent start to the season, too.”

Once July began, Mr Hines said the “snow bringing weather features” became rarer and more far apart.

“Those cold fronts up from the southwest, the ones that are attached with a pool of very cold air that do tend to bring the most notable snowfall, they really started to dry up,” Mr Hines said.

“We did have a few cold fronts through July of course – we always will at that time of year – but the ones that did roll through were quite weak weather systems. And, they were fairly sparse as well.

“That doesn’t add any fresh snow to the mountains. But secondly, when those gaps between the fronts become quite infrequent that‘s when the weather’s warm and clear and dry.”

As a result, Mr Hines said much of the snow simply melted away before the next cold front came through.

Originally published as Ski fields record 10cm of snow, more on the way