This weekend marks the arrival of Christmas in July for ski resorts as the first significant snowfall of the season covers portions of Australia’s southeast, resulting in more than 50 centimetre falls in well-known tourist locations.
The snow “just keeps coming,” according to David Clark, destination marketing manager for the ski lifts atop Mount Stirling and Mount Buller.
He remarked, “It’s been fantastic; it started snowing on Friday night and hasn’t stopped.”
“This is the ideal time to visit—the conditions are the best we’ve seen thus far.”
22 centimetres of snow fell on the resort town on Saturday morning, and more was predicted.
An additional 15 centimetres of snow fell during the day.
“June started off slowly, but with these significant snowfalls and strong cold fronts, we’re well-positioned for the remainder of the season,” Clark remarked.
“Snow is guaranteed from now until October.”
In the twenty-four hours leading up to Saturday morning, Mount Hotham received 31 centimetres of snowfall.
The resort was fully booked and closed to day visitors.
Thredbo, located farther north, had 27cm of snowfall over night, bringing the total for the past seven days to 43cm.
A spokesman added, “A thick layer of fresh white snow has covered the entire mountain and village, creating magical wintry scenes.”
Yesterday evening, a snowstorm arrived with severe winds, blizzard conditions, and a lot of snow.
“Over the next ten days, experts predict that this low-pressure system could bring another 50cm.”
According to Weatherzone, Perisher, a nearby town, received 25 cm of snow overnight and is expected to receive a further 80 cm on Saturday.
Freezing temperatures have been recorded as low as 800 meters.
The swiftly approaching cold front is predicted to bring the “most significant snowfall of the year,” according to a Vail Resorts representative.
In only one day, Falls Creek in northeastern Victoria saw 45 centimetres of snowfall, with 33 centimetres of further snow falling on Friday night.
It covered considerably over 70cm in seven days.
Car parking capacity had been expanded this season, but Sarah Watt, head of marketing and visitor experience at Falls Creek Alpine Resort, claimed they rapidly filled up after a significant storm.
Before leaving home, she advised guests to make reservations in advance to avoid disappointment.
Along with rain and record-low temperatures, the cold front that moved across South Australia and into Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland also brought snow and blizzard conditions, with more to come.
Mountain Watch and Snowatch forecasters, respectively, projected 82 and 78 centimetres of snowfall over the next seven days.
The weather in the southeast was described as a “very wintry outbreak” by Angus Hines of the Bureau of Meteorology, who blamed wind and snowfall for the condition.
