After a great start to the ski season in South America and New Zealand a month ago, things took a decidedly warm turn in mid-June leading to a similar scenario to last December in the Alps, if not worse.
Some ski areas that had opened were forced to close again as snow thawed away and temperatures were too warm for snowmaking; others that had not opened in the snowy start of June and stuck to their planned late June or early July regular opening days saw pre-season snow melt away and had to delay opening.
The good news is that that all seems to be changing this week. Cold weather in the Andes is expected to bring more huge snowfalls with around a metre of snow expected at Portillo in Chile by Thursday – although after its incredible 3 metre snowfall in seven days a month ago it is still fully operational anyway. Other areas, like Catedral in Argentina, which is the largest in the southern hemisphere by some measures, will be hoping it will get enough snow to be able to open. It's looking much better aleready this morning (pictured above) after bare slopes yesterday.
Across the Pacific New Zealand has had it six warmest months in temperature-recorded history over the first six months of 2016 and only a few ski areas were still marginally operating at the start of July. Here too though cold temperatures, if not yet abundant snowfall, have allowed areas to re-open or open for the first time this winter thanks to snowmaking. It's a crucial school holiday period in the country now.
Australia has had a different pattern to its 2016 season with almost no snow and warm temperatures at the 'official' season opening weekend on the second Saturday of June. Since later in the month though there have been low temperatures and big snowfalls across the country's ski regions, even allowing ski hills in Tasmania not normally open until mid-July to open three weeks early. Still more snow is expected this week and conditions are widely reported to be excellent.