Ski areas in New Zealand have seen a decent snowfall down to resort base levels overnight.
It's early autumn in the southern hemisphere and nearly three months until the first ski areas are due to open for their 2024 ski seasons, but pictures of the snowfall have received tens of thousands of likes on social media, as skiers and boarders get some early excitement for the winter ahead.
Snowfalls have also been reported on higher slopes in Australia and the Andes of South America over the past few weeks, although at this point in the year it quickly melts again.
Depending on conditions, Coronet Peak and Mt Hutt are expected to kick off New Zealkand';s 2024 ski season on June 14th, followed by Cardrona (pictured today above) and The Remarkables opening the next day.
The New Zealand government has agreed to fund the financially-troubled Mt Ruapehu ski areas of Turoa and Whakapapa for "one final time" so they will be open this winter.
In the wider ski world Lesotho's Afriski says its full ski area will reopen this winter after staying closed in 2023 due to operational difficulties.