There's been heavy snowfall in New Zealand where the 2017 ski season is due to begin in less than two weeks' time.
The snow had been ongoing through the last few days of last week on the South Island and many areas have not yet measured snowfall totals but so far reports of 'up to 50cm' have come in with The Remarkables ski area posting the biggest number.
The storm, which has now cleared leaving blue skies, also brought low temperatures allowing for snowmaking systems to operate at full capacity, and this is currently still the case.
"The storm has cleared and the webcams are looking all white. We can't give you an accurate snowfall figure as we have a mix of massive drifts and wind stripped patches. It's still cold and the snow guns are blazing," an online post from Cardrona ski area reported earlier today.
Mt Hutt in Canterbury on the south Island is traditionally one of the first in New Zealand and the southern hemisphere to open for the season and is scheduled to do so in a little under three weeks' time on Friday, June 9th this season.
However Mt Ruapehu on the North Island, the country's largest ski area and traditionally one of the later ones to open for the season (although also staying open longer than others which usually close by mid-October, sometimes to 'Snowvember') has invested in a new 'all-weather' snowmaking system and aims to open its Happy Valley beginners/snow play area in less than a fortnight on Saturday 3rd June.
