After a patchy start to the season, NSW’s alpine regions could be getting the winter reset they’ve been waiting for. A prolonged burst of wintry weather is sweeping across the Australian Alps this week, potentially bringing more than half a metre of fresh snow to higher elevations. Weatherzone reports that the first cold front could produce significant falls on its own, with another round of snow possible through the middle of this week. The outlook could provide a major boost to NSW ski resorts, with the natural snowpack already approaching one metre at higher elevations.
Heavy snow on the way for the Australian Alps
The first phase of the system arrived on Sunday, as a cold front moved across southeastern Australia. Rain fell across parts of the alpine region before colder air settled over the mountains, accompanied by strong winds as the front moved through. Conditions then turned increasingly wintry, with rain changing to snow at higher elevations later in the day.
By Monday, forecasts suggest the snow level could fall to around 1,000 metres, putting it below the base elevation of NSW resorts including Thredbo, Perisher and Charlotte Pass, which are among the best places to catch the fresh snow. Current forecasts suggest at least 30 centimetres is highly likely at higher elevations from this initial system, while some locations could receive around 50 centimetres. At Spencers Creek, between Thredbo and Perisher, the natural snow depth was already sitting at 87.1 centimetres this week, meaning the incoming falls could push it beyond the one-metre mark.
The conditions are set to continue into the new week, with another round of snow forecast to develop on Tuesday and Wednesday. There is still some uncertainty around how heavy these later falls will be, but there is potential for significant additional snow across the Australian Alps. More accurate snowfall totals should emerge closer to the event; keep an eye on the Bureau of Meteorology and Weatherzone for the latest forecasts and weather warnings.
