Australian Ski Area to Start Season Early Following Heavy Snowfall

Ski areas in Australia, where the 2017 ski season is due to start the weekend after next, have reacted with glee to heavy snowfall over the past 24 hours.

Although few official snowfall stats are available yet as the season is not underway, accumulations of 15-30cm have been reported at most of the country’s leading resorts.

Temperatures have also been sub-zero allowing snowmaking systems to work at capacity.

So far, the country’s largest ski area, Vail-owned Perisher has announced plans to open some terrain a week early – this Saturday, June 3^rd.

The news follows the early-opening of El Colorado, La Parva and Valle Nevado ski areas in Chile, up to a month earlier than planned, after heavy snowfall in South American ski areas earlier in the month.

Almost all of Australian ski areas open for the ski season during the country’s annual ‘Queen’s Birthday’ holiday long-weekend in June but it can be too warm for natural snowfall or snowmaking, meaning snowless-season-starts are not unusual.

Two Australian ski areas had in fact pre-empted such a possibility by investing in all-weather snowmaking equipment this year. Meaning they could make snow in plus temperatures if need be, although currently, in the event, it looks like they may not need to this year.

(Falls Creek this morning pictured top)