Australia's ski areas are looking a whole lot better than they did on the ski season opening day last Saturday as several days of forecast snowfall has gotten underway, along with much lower temperatures than in recent weeks.
Australia always begins its season with a three day long-weekend in early June that includes a public holiday on the Monday (yesterday) to celebrate King Charles III's birthday. Snow cover is often problematic this early in the winter and its not unusual for there to be little or no snow cover, although from media reports this year you'd think it had never happened before.
Thredbo and Perisher in New South Wales managed to create a few hundreds meters of snow slopes despite the challenges of short overnight snowmaking opportunities and warm days. Mt Buller and Mt Baw Baw did likewise, in their cases thanks to all-weather snowmaking machinery.
Now though several days of snowfall likely to bring 15-30cm snow total and much lower temperatures allowing more extensive periods of snowmaking have raised hopes that more can open and other centres start to offer 2024 season skiing and riding imminently.
"It's great to see the resort covered in white," said Falls Creek's Field Marketing Manager Betony Pitcher. "It's been snowing all morning and reminding us what a magical place it is on the mountain when it snows! We have more snowfall, cold temperatures and snow making forecast for this week and we're all getting excited for the ski and board season ahead."