While the snowfalls of late last week were particularly welcome and made our mountains white, they weren’t quite enough to get things going on their own. Natually a few adventurous walkers took advantage of the conditions but the snow depth wouldn’t have coped with a rush of skiers and boarders.
However it wouldn’t have taken much snowmaking to get things going, but alas the weather hasn’t co-operated. The couple of days after the storm were a misty/drizzly affair which contributed to some melting, and last night was the first promising night for snowmaking but was sadly thwarted at Buller by the dreaded inversion, which is not unusual this time of year.
If it sounds like panic stations, don’t get me wrong – it isn’t, but at this stage I’m doubtful that Buller will be able to make the Thursday opening as was rumoured over the weekend. Of course this rumour required the co-operation of snowmaking so it was prudent that no announcement was made, but I am also convinced that if they had a couple of good nights with the guns then all efforts would have been made to open.
So the good news is that it’s only the North & East facing snowcams of Bourke St & Burnt Hut that are showing some meltage over the last couple of days, the Little Buller & Summit Cams have showed very little, if any change due to their shaded southerly aspect
Both Summit & Little Buller look like they will need very little snowmaking to get going, so while Thursday is not looking likely things will happen sooner rather than later. Skiing is the best Queen’s Birthday hangover cure. Well skiing to Koflers is actually.
Meanwhile Hotham started snowmaking on Big D last night and the Falls Creek webcams show the Towers area being prepared for Queen’s Birthday opening. Perisher has already announced they will open on Saturday and Thredbo is yet to announce their plans.
In terms of the forecast, there is not much of consequence, Jane’s Weather is pointing to a weak system arriving late on Saturday, but in the meantime our best hope is for good snowmaking weather without the dreaded inversion.
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