Australian snow season begins amid El Niño fears | Australia weather
Snow season has officially begun in Australia; resorts predict a good season despite climatic threats and cost of living crisis.
Between 20 and 40cm of snow fell in the Victoria and New South Wales Alps before the long weekend, with snowmakers also supporting the falls.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) said on Friday that snowfall was widespread, with light snow showers breaking through, providing cold, freezing nights and sunny days for the weekend.
On Saturday, snow cameras showed snow covering the ground in some areas. In others it was irregular or absent.
Resorts are increasingly having to rely on technology included snow cannons, snow “factories” (capable of producing snow at any temperature), snow removal and snow harvesting to keep skiers and snowboarders happy.
Thredbo resort general manager Stuart Diver said sales were up and they were “pretty confident it’s going to be a good season”. He dismissed the BoM’s below-average snowfall forecasts and said last year was spectacular despite a similar forecast.
However, ahead of the long weekend that marks the “opening” of the season, experts warned that climate change and El Niño weather conditions could lead to a slushy season.
BoM senior forecaster Jonathan How said dry and hot conditions, with El Niño likely to form in the coming weeks, were a “bad combination”.
“It’s good for skiers, not in favor of deep snowpack,” he said, adding that lower precipitation and warmer temperatures “[tip] “We are not likely to have a good season.”
Dani Wright, senior communications manager for Vail Resorts, said interest in the 2026 season at Perisher, Falls Creek and Hotham is “strong.” The company does not publish sales data.
ABC reported last year He said people were bringing their own food, tents and barbecues to reduce the cost of a ski trip, and there were many complaints online about the rising cost of lift passes.
According to a survey by the Australian Alpine Club, a one-day lift ticket cost around $100 in 2010. At the time, they were more expensive than some of the most famous resorts in the world.
In general, a day pass can now cost more than twice that, although there are various discounts for beginners, multi-day packages and families. Vail Resorts has an opening weekend special that includes a $99 pass and an optional $1 lesson — effectively the 2010 price.
Climate crisis scares
A 2024 Australian National University report found that Australian ski seasons will be shortened by 44 to 55 days by 2050 if current climate trends continue.
If carbon emissions are reduced and kept low, the ski season will be 28 days shorter by 2050, but could begin to recover by 2080.
The Snow Resorts Australia Summit in May heard about it Snowmaking was a critical climate resilience measure for industry and may even be viewed as critical public infrastructure.
Diver said Thredbo was “well-placed to ensure the industry is sustainable for decades to come” and was diversifying its offerings.
He said there were about 150,000 visits to the $10 million portion of the facility. alpine train.
“We have a big summer business with mountain biking and hiking, which we continue to develop,” he said.
“It needs to be versatile, you can’t rely on just one thing.”
– with AAP
