So, this just happened... Mount Hutt, New Zealand, finally got the goods...
Snow has arrived in the southern hemisphere, particularly in New Zealand with up to 1 metre bases being reported, and Australian centres also reopening. Half-a-dozen ski areas remain open in the northern hemisphere.
The Snow Headlines - July 9th
- Significant snowfall in New Zealand takes depths over 1 metre.
- Australian centres get fresh snowfall allowing resorts to reopen.
- Big snow forecast for ski areas in southern Andes.
- Down to six areas still open in the Northern Hemisphere.
- Canada's 2026 summer ski season ends.
More snow forecast for New Zealand and South America.
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World Overview
The big news this week is the arrival of snowfall - and something like winter at last - in the southern hemisphere. New Zealand is the main beneficiary, with resorts reporting up to 80 centimetres/31 inches of snowfall over the first half of the week. As we publish this report, they are still opening fresh terrain, and at least one area is reporting a 1 metre/39 inches base for the first time this season.
Before New Zealand's snow arrived, Australian ski areas saw a more modest 30 centimetres/12 inches of fresh snow, allowing areas that had closed last month due to mild weather to reopen terrain, although not enough for significant terrain openings yet.
In the Andes, big snowfalls have been forecast, although not much has arrived so far according to resort reports. Most areas in Argentina and Chile now have at least some terrain open, although a few major resorts including Las Lenas are still delaying their season starts.
In the northern hemisphere, warm summer weather has dominated after last week's glacier snowfall. In the Alps, where just four glaciers remain open, the freezing point has moved above them, even overnight, for much of the past week.
In North America, Canada's Sunshine has ended its summer skiing, leaving just Timberline in Oregon and a hike-to terrain park at Copper Mountain open, both reporting warm weather.
Southern Hemisphere
Australia
Australian ski areas picked up 20–30 centimetres/8–12 inches of new snow late last week, allowing several resorts to start their seasons, improve thin early-season cover, or reopen slopes closed during June's mild, dry spell.
Hotham wrote:'What a difference a day can make on the mountain! Hotham woke to a storm total of 30 centimetres/12 inches with cold temperatures helping get the snow guns firing,'
Falls Creek has also reopened beginner terrain, though bases remain thin with only 1-5% of terrain open. Conditions have been dry but overnight lows remain cold enough for snowmaking. Despite these positives, Australian areas still have only 5–10% of their terrain open. The next day or two look to remain dry, but a fresh front should bring more snowfall—typically 5–10 centimetres/2–4 inches—if current forecasts hold, later in the weekend.
New Zealand
A well-timed winter storm swept across New Zealand from last weekend into this week, delivering the strongest snowfall of the season as school holidays began.
By mid-week, several South Island areas were reporting up to 80 centimetres/31 inches, including Mount Lyford and Mount Dobson, while Mount Hutt became the first Southern Hemisphere resort to exceed a 1 metre/39 inches base. Mount Lyford reported it had hit 105 centimetres/41 inches by Thursday morning.
With major accumulations now in place, ski centres are focused on clearing access roads and preparing terrain for wider openings. The weather is settling down but should stay cold through the weekend with another round of snowfall in the forecast.
Argentina
Argentina's ski season remains slow to start, with very limited terrain open and several resorts, including Las Lenas, still yet to open. Cerro Catedral has begun operations, but with only 1% of slopes running on a very thin base.
Southerly Cerro Castor and Cerro Bayo currently offer the most skiing, each at about 15% open.
Recent snowfall has improved upper-mountain conditions slightly, but coverage across the country remains very thin. Heavy precipitation is forecast, though there is concern this may be rain at times, especially on lower slopes.
Chile
Most Chilean resorts have avoided the unsettled weather affecting Argentina, with sunshine dominating the north and cold temperatures supporting snowmaking despite limited new snow.
Portillo has about a fifth of its terrain open and has seen highs around –1 °C and lows near –15 °C. Nearly all Chilean ski areas are now open, though Antillanca and Pillán–Villarrica operate only on weekends.
Corralco currently offers the most terrain at about 12 kilometres/7 miles, over 40% of its area.
Farther south, Nevados de Chillán has seen more frequent snowfall and slightly more changeable conditions but announced on Thursday it was closing until conditions improved.
Southern Africa
Lesotho's Afriski has had another dry week with temperatures ranging from –7 °C to 9 °C up high and –5 °C to 11 °C at the base. Clear spells and occasional cloud keep nights cold enough for snowmaking, while days turn mild. No real change is forecast, with more of the same expected for the coming week.
Northern Hemisphere
Alpine glaciers have faced another hot spell, with freezing levels hovering between 3,700 metres/12,139 feet and 4,300 metres/14,108 feet—above most glacier summits. This leads to rapid softening each morning.
Four glacier ski areas remain open: Tignes in France retains about 6 kilometres/4 miles of terrain, firm early then spring-like by late morning; Zermatt/Cervinia offers around 15 kilometres/9 miles plus its new summer park. Austria's Hintertux provides the most mileage at roughly 25 kilometres/16 miles but is steadily thinning and says it will close for a few months later in July.
Italy's Passo Stelvio saw 10 centimetres/4 inches of new snow at the end of last week but has been sunny since, while Norway's Galdhøpiggen remains the most wintry with firm overnight freezes.
More warm weather is forecast (it is July, after all), with the freezing point in the Alps remaining mostly above 4,000 metres/13,123 feet altitude.
Only two U.S. options offered snow for America's 250th last weekend: lift-served skiing at Timberline in Oregon and Copper Mountain's hike-to summer terrain park in Colorado. North of the border, Sunshine near Banff wrapped up its rare two-week summer opening with its base down to under 25 centimetres/10 inches. That low number contrasts with past Fourth of July periods when a dozen areas operated after snowy winters. America's West is forecast to stay dry and warm, with highs reaching the low 70s °F/21–23 °C.