Forecast for Wednesday 25th & Thursday 26th July

Wednesday’s not shaping up well for skiing, with severe northwest gales set to disrupt lift operations. Mt Hutt has already confirmed it won’t open. Rain will move in from the west during the morning, turning heavy over the Southern Lakes by night and hitting Canterbury later, likely causing major snow loss.

By Thursday, rain will clear the Southern Lakes early and Canterbury by midday, as winds ease and skies brighten for a mostly sunny afternoon.

Forecast for Friday 27th & Saturday 28th July

Saturday sees light snow in the Mackenzie Basin clearing early, while heavier falls further north taper off by evening as southerlies ease. In the Southern Lakes, cloud gradually gives way to mostly clear skies with gentle south to southeast winds.

By Sunday, the entire South Island enjoys clear, sunny conditions as breezes swing from southwest to northwest.

A minor storm system is expected to bring a light snowfall to most South Island ski fields early Monday, along with a few days of ideal snowmaking conditions. This will be something the Southern Lakes will be glad to see.

Looking ahead, some forecast models suggest a more substantial snow event could arrive between Thursday 3rd and Saturday 5th July. Worth keeping an eye on.

Thanks for reading. The next forecast will be out early Wednesday.

Mike