Author: The Frog

I can see clearly now the storm has gone. We have a great cover of snow for mid July, probably a little better than expected earlier in the season. The big question now is when is the next one coming? What kind of weather do we have install for the mountains resorts over the next month?

Mother Nature’s turned on the snow guns from heaven for Coronet Peak and The Remarkables ski areas – dumping snow overnight and throughout today (Thursday July 14) with plenty more to come in the next 24 hours.

The welcome return to winter has seen Coronet Peak receive 10cm of snow overnight and counting, and a good 12cm to 16cm up at The Remarkables.

Tomorrow will see a polar blast freeze the South East of Australia. It should start tomorrow morning with snow falling in the South Australian highlands by late morning. Not something you see very much at all.

The snowy mountains resorts will see light snow starting early on Tuesday with snowfalls above 1200m increasing during the day and lowering as the day progresses down to around 600m overnight. Winds will be gale force and above about the peaks with blizzard conditions likely.

If you are ever thinking of a place to stay that is on snow, ski in ski out, close to lifts, close to transport, close to restaurants and bars as well as being very comfortable and accommodating then Perisher Manor is for you.

Warm temps and rain have been a ball and chain around the ankle of Season 2016 in Australia, but things are about to change (once the heavy rain from this afternoon and tomorrow moves away from the mountains.

Things couldn’t get much worse in the mountains as far as snow is concerned. Skiers and boarders alike have have been forced to sit back and wait for the first dump of the season. Their patience looks like being rewarded with good snowfalls on the horizon. Only real issue is that there is heavy rain on the way from another east coast low that should dampen things in the short term.

Queenstown’s officially firing on all cylinders for winter with the opening of alpine playground The Remarkables ski area on Saturday (June 18).

All four chairlifts at The Remarkables (Alta, Sugar Bowl, Shadow Basin and Curvey Basin) will start turning from 9am, whisking skiers and snowboarders onto the snow where excellent groomed trails and a choice of off-piste terrain await.

Canterbury’s Mt Hutt ski area is sorry to advise that its scheduled opening day for the 2016 winter season has been postponed until Saturday June 11.

The weather forecast for its original scheduled opening day (Friday June 10), is for high winds at the ski area.

Pete ‘The Frog’ Taylor looks at what snow we currently have in the resorts, what’s likely to happen between now and then, and he gives us a rundown on what he thinks will be running for opening weekend 2016 in each resort.

Canterbury’s Mt Hutt ski area is revelling in the white stuff – with a one-metre pre-season snow base being described as “the best in years”.

Two snowstorms in the past four days have delivered “wall-to-wall” snow across the mountain, leading ski area manager James McKenzie to declare that Mt Hutt is expected to open with all lifts operating on opening day (Friday June 10).