Snowfall set to surge as cold fronts line up along southeast, with huge dumping of snow on the way after 'abysmal' back-to-back bleak seasons
It's that magic week in July where every single Australian state and territory is in the thick of school holidays, and for the first time in three seasons, it's looking like a great week ahead for skiers and snowboarders with another fresh dumping of snow on the way.
It's setting this year well in contrast to recent years.
I won't sugarcoat it – the last two seasons were abysmal for both snow cover and fair-weather ski days on the mountains as Australia's fickle snow season fell short of the average.
Some numbers: The best yardstick for Australia's ski seasons are snow base measurements from Snowy Hydro at three separate sites in the Kosciuszko National Park.
These have been kept at Spencer's Creek since 1954 and are a good estimate for natural snow base at the New South Wales Ski Resorts of Perisher and Thredbo.
The average peak natural snow base at this site is 195cm, usually in late August.
Back-to-back bleak seasons with few snow events, rain and rapid spring thaws lead to 2023 and 2024 being the only seasons on record to peak in July.
The seasons ranked 5th and 6th lowest on record.
They are symptoms of a long-term trend where Australia's warmed climate and reduction in winter precipitation over the Australian Alps has led to a loss of peak snow depth of roughly 0.35cm per year since 1954.
That's not to say good seasons don't or won't happen, and this one is off to an encouraging start.
Despite some setbacks (heavy rainfall events, most recently last week for an East Coast Low), abundant snowfall and low temperatures have led to the best natural snow base at this point in the season since 2022 in New South Wales, and in 25 years at Mount Hotham.
As of the end of June, all Victorian resorts were trending above average by a margin of 10cm.
Another huge dumping of snow is on the way this week to further top up the encouraging start to the season.
After some light showers or teasing flurries this Sunday and Monday, a series of snowmaking cold fronts are lining up for the southeast.
Heavy snow should settle in with blizzards from Tuesday, peaking on Thursday with a cold polar blast.
Over half a metre of snow is likely to settle by Friday – even heavier on higher slopes.
This could see the snowpack exceed one metre before the school holidays are out, opening more skiable terrain.
For the latest weather outlooks and climate forecasts be sure to tune into Sky News Weather Channel 601 on Foxtel
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ABC News
3 days ago
- ABC News
Tour de France stage 19 route changed following cattle disease outbreak
Stage 19 of the Tour de France has been shortened due to an outbreak of contagious nodular dermatitis in cattle near the Col des Saisies, which has forced authorities to cull livestock and restrict access to the area, race organisers have said. The 129.9-kilometre stage from Albertville to La Plagne was due to include the ascent of the Col des Saisies, but the climb has now been scrapped to avoid the affected zone, the organiser, Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), said in a statement on Thursday, local time. "In light of the distress experienced by the affected farmers and in order to preserve the smooth running of the race, it has been decided, in agreement with the relevant authorities, to modify the route," ASO said. The ceremonial start will take place as planned in Albertville, followed by a 7km neutralised section before the official start, an hour later than planned. Riders will rejoin the original course shortly before Beaufort, at the 52.4km mark of the initial route. As a result, the stage will now be reduced to 95km. The shortened stage still finishes in La Plagne and comes just two days before the Tour concludes in Paris on Sunday. Slovenian Tadej Pogačar leads the race by 4 minutes and 26 seconds ahead of Danish rider Jonas Vingegaard. Australian Ben O'Connor produced a stunning solo attack to win on stage 18 in the Alps. Reuters/ABC
News.com.au
3 days ago
- News.com.au
Perth Airport evacuated in early morning fire scare
Early morning passengers at a major Australian airport were left out in the cold after an evacuation. The Perth Airport international terminal was evacuated at around 6.15am on Friday after a fire alarm was set off. All passengers in Terminal 1 were forced to evacuate the building as a precaution. The cause was investigated by the Aviation Fire Rescue team and was found to be a small fire in a food and beverage kitchen in the terminal. Red signs on screens around the terminal displayed the message 'Emergency! Terminal evacuation underway' 'Please proceed with care to the nearest exit.' Evacuated travellers faced chilly weather outside the airport as they awaited the all clear for about 45 minutes. According to the Bureau of Meteorology it was a bitter 3C with a 'feels like' temperature of 0C at 8am. At least five flights were directly delayed by the evacuation, and passengers had to repass through security and border control.
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Brisbane news live: Private health giant to close most of its Qld psychology clinics
Latest posts Latest posts 6.48am Friday, dry day: Weather into the weekend We can expect a sunny Friday, with light winds and a chance of morning frost in the west. Enjoy the clear day – the weather bureau predicts a 95 per cent chance of rain tomorrow, with the chance of up to 20 millimetres to fall. Showers should ease on Sunday, for a mostly sunny start to the week next week. 6.48am While you were sleeping Here's what's making news further afield this morning: Male childcare workers have been turned away from centres and had casual shifts cancelled, potentially breaching gender discrimination laws, following horrific allegations of child abuse in daycare facilities. Imported American steak is a topic many of Australia's fine-dining restaurants would rather avoid. The operators of more than 10 hatted restaurants have declined or failed to respond to Good Food's requests for comment on their appetite for US steak. Hulk Hogan, the mustachioed, headscarf-wearing icon in the world of professional wrestling, has died at the age of 71. US President Donald Trump has denied he was seeking to ruin the business empire of his one-time ally Elon Musk as retribution for their dispute over the US president's signature tax law. An Australian man has been found dead inside a hotel room in Thailand one day before his flight back home, according to local media. A passenger plane carrying about 50 people has crashed in Russia's far east and initial information suggested everyone on board was killed, Russian emergency services officials said. And in sport, David Warner is among 16 Australian cricketers caught up in the collapse of a T10 league in the Cayman Islands, after players refused to take the field due to non-payment. Plus, the likes of Kalyn Ponga and Isaiya Katoa could be free to play State of Origin and represent New Zealand as the ARL Commission considers a landmark change in the game's eligibility rules. 6.46am The top stories this morning Good morning, and welcome to Brisbane Times' live news coverage for Friday, July 25. Today should be a sunny day, with a top temperature of 22 degrees. In this morning's local headlines: A public servant working for the Department of Main Roads has been reprimanded after she admitted calling her German co-worker 'Helga' behind her back and using the phrase 'nein, nein'. As former boxing champion Anthony Mundine prepares to launch Australia's first bare-knuckle fighting event in Brisbane – and issued a fight challenge to Conor McGregor – medical experts say the sport is 'brutal, outdated and dangerous'. Two months after Queensland Arts Minister John-Paul Langbroek intervened in a fellowship for an author accused of glorifying terrorism, new details of his efforts have emerged. Brisbane's Siang Lu has won the 2025 Miles Franklin Literary Award for his novel Ghost Cities, becoming the first male Asian writer to take out the coveted $60,000 literary prize.
