It was a tough season for American skiers out West, but at least the Australians seem to be off to a good start as the opening weekend approaches.
Perisher, one of the country’s best-known resorts, put it simply in a social media post earlier this week: “Blizzard mode activated.”
Words can only go so far, though. To hammer the point home, Perisher shared footage from said blizzard, showing near-whiteout conditions and plenty of flakes. In the background, snow guns roared.
Over the past 24 hours, according to its snow report, Perisher has received about 4 inches of snow. The weeklong total is larger, coming in at a respectable eight inches or so.
It’s not just Mother Nature that’s hard at work. In a recent snow report, Perisher said 77 of its snowguns had been firing since the early morning, “helping to complement the natural snowfall and build the best possible start to the season.”
At Perisher, that start is scheduled for Saturday, June 6, when the resort plans to kick things off with the Front Valley conveyor. Perisher also advised skiers that, thanks to good snowmaking conditions, they should stay tuned for more updates.
Over at Falls Creek, the situation is also looking rosy.
“20cm of snowfall across Falls Creek today, transforming the village into a true winter wonderland,” the resort said on social media. “The best part? Temperatures are staying low, setting us up for another great night of snowmaking.”
The early-season momentum comes amid word of a building El Niño, which can spell warm and dry conditions across Australia. That, of course, may not be good news for the country’s ski resorts, although El Niño doesn’t guarantee outcomes; it just tilts the odds.
Regardless, for now, the focus is on the snow. Fingers crossed it sticks around.
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