April showers turn to snow at Aussie ski resorts

INTREPID skiers have braved sub-zero conditions to hit the slopes, after a wintry blast dropped more than 15cm of snow at Australian ski fields.

'Boot deep' powder ... skier Chris Hocking is in heaven at Falls Creek in Victoria, six weeks before the official season opens. Gallery »

April showers turn to snow

INTREPID skiers have braved sub-zero conditions to make first tracks on the slopes, after a wintry blast dropped more than 15cm of snow on Australia's main ski fields.

Ski resort operators are hoping that the vigorous cold front that delivered a burst of wintry conditions to Australian slopes overnight are a sign of the season to come.

"Mother Nature is sending a signal to the snow bunnies who are anticipating an early, snowy, start to the winter it could be," said Ian Talbot, spokesperson for Falls Creek.

"(This is) similar to 2000 when alpine resorts such as Falls Creek opened the ski lifts two weeks before the traditional start to the season on Queen's Birthday," Mr Talbot said.

This year's season is due to begin on the Queen's Birthday weekend of June 7.

The Bureau of Meteorology is predicting snow showers to continue until Tuesday in New South Wales and Victoria.

Temperatures reached a low of minus 5.6 at the Falls Creek resort and minus 3.5 C at NSW's Perisher Blue, which recorded 10-15cm of fresh snow fell since Sunday morning.

The NSW alpine town of Thredbo reported that flakes were "flakes are still falling all the way down to the village".

Victorian resorts Mount Buller, Mount Hotham and Falls Creek all recorded snow falls of between 10 and 15cm while Lake Mountain had up to 8cm and Baw Baw had 3cm.

Falls Creek has reported that skiers are taking advantage of dry ski-able powder, up to 25cm deep in places.

Its sister resort Mount Hotham said snow had fallen down to altitudes of 1000m where people are "playing in the snow, building snowmen, having snowball fights and tobogganing".

A spokesman for the Bureau of Meteorology confirmed that snow had also fallen on the NSW ski resort at Charlotte Pass, and also at the NSW Central West towns of Oberon and Orange.