Telling photos explain why Australia’s annual ‘snow’ season will be off to a VERY slow start

Australia’s slopes are shockingly bare for the start of the ski season and at least one ski resort has postponed operations after the second driest May on record.

Live images of Mount Hotham, Mount Buller, Perisher and Thredbo all show grassy knolls with small snow deposits less than two days before the skiers arrive.

Every major ski resort in Australia was due to open their runs on June 10, but Thredbo Ski Resort in NSW has pulled the plug due to a lack of snow.

The start of the season was supposed to coincide with the long weekend of the King’s birthday, but with little snowfall expected before then, people are starting to worry.

However, the resorts themselves are not yet concerned, as minimal snowfall is normal for this time of year, but the forecast of a dry and warm winter nevertheless raises some concerns.

Minimal snowfall is normal for this time of year, but the forecast of a dry and warm winter raises the alarm (photo Perisher)

The past two years have seen generous seasons throwing snow over the mountaintops in late May, but those seasons have been outliers, according to Ski Industries manager Ben Quane.

“We’ve been very lucky with early snow in recent years, but if you look at the last 10 years, it’s quite normal,” Quane told Daily Mail Australia.

“I don’t think anyone is too concerned about it at this stage.”

The Bureau of Meteorology’s findings echoed what Mr Quane said, noting that the heavy snowfall in mid-2022 was anomalous.

Resorts instead use June to build their own snow supply so they can fill whatever eventually falls from the sky in time for their openings.

“We generally start getting snow around this time and the areas usually get some snow over the next few weeks and gradually open their runs in June,” said Mr Quane.

“If there was no snow it would be disastrous, but most people have invested in good snowmaking equipment. As long as we keep them cold, there will be products for skiers and snowboarders, we just need the cold weather.

“That’s like the insurance policy, you just need a bit of cold weather or natural snow – ideally both.”

Several passing fronts are expected to bring snow over the next seven days, but rainfall from the western states could cause any falling powder to melt more quickly.

The past two years have seen generous seasons throwing snow over the mountain tops at the end of May, but these seasons have been outliers

Resorts are using June to build their own snow supply with snowmakers so they can fill whatever eventually falls from the sky in time for their openings

These weather conditions, combined with the warm and dry forecast for the 2023 season, indicate that snowfall this year will be less than average.

“There are a few passing fronts over the next seven days that could bring the chance of snow, but it doesn’t look like they will bring those really cold conditions, which are needed to bring snow to lower elevations and into those.” drop areas. greater snow accumulations,” said meteorologist Angus Hynes.

“To get a good snow season you really only need one or two big piles of snow and that can get you on a good track, but on balance a drier than average winter is likely to bring less than average snowfall.”

“It looks set to be a drier than average winter for Australia, especially the eastern half, and it looks set to be a warmer than average winter as well. Both things that don’t usually lead to big snow seasons.”