Australia Daily Snow
By Mike O'Connor, Meteorologist Posted 1 year ago June 9, 2024
Rain and Snow Tuesday and Wednesday, then Cold Southerlies for a week.
Summary
Australian resorts will improve on poor early-season conditions with 25-35cm of snow up high on Wednesday and 3-7cm down low early Wednesday as a cold front goes through. The front will leave cold winds blowing over the Australian Alps for at least a week and will allow resorts to make a lot of snow.
Short Term Forecast
Current Conditions
Well, Thredbo, Perisher, Buller and Baw Baw opened their gates for the first runs of 2024 on some very limited man-made cover. Preseason conditions haven't gone our way, but at least the weather cleared up for a nice day. All other resorts are waiting for conditions to improve before opening.
Forecast for Monday (10th June)
Monday is King's Birthday holiday for most Australians, so the Opening Weekend festivities continue (check out the official ski resort pages for info on Opening Weekend events). And what a day it will be after a little snow fell Sunday night (mostly up high, but to low levels on Baw Baw), and temperatures are cold enough to make snow throughout the early hours. Once the morning low cloud clears, it'll be a fine day with light winds.
Forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday (11th & 12th June)
A cold front passes over the Australian Alps during this period. Tuesday won't be a pleasant day with strong northwest winds and rain spreading eastwards early in the day. The rain will eventually turn to snow up high, then snowfall will lower again to low altitudes during the early hours of Wednesday as winds turn to the southwest. Snow accumulations of around 25-35cm are possible up top, diminishing to about 3-7cm at resort-base level.
The weather will gradually clear on Wednesday as the chilly southwest winds ease, but light showers will continue for Mt Baw Baw.
Forecast for Thursday & Friday (13th & 14th June)
Cold winds from the south during Thursday and Friday will allow resorts to make a heap of snow. Skies will be partly cloudy - mostly low-level cloud reducing the visibility about the lower mountain at times - and Mt Baw Baw should receive light snow showers.
Extended Forecast
Australian resorts will have a great opportunity to make a lot more snow as a storm system pin-balls around in the Tasman Sea, directing a cold southerly flow over the Australian Alps through to about Wednesday 19th or Thursday 20th of June. This should open up more terrain on the main runs and get things humming a little more.
Thanks for reading. I'll keep these forecasts coming every Monday, Wednesday & Friday throughout the southern hemisphere season.
Michael O'Connor
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