Australia’s alpine regions are finally seeing white as the country’s major ski resorts woke up to a dusting of natural snow this morning — a welcome signal that the 2025 ski season is on its way. As of 6 p.m. today, Perisher is reporting 10 centimeters (4 inches) of fresh snow, with flurries still falling across the mountains.
Snowfall began overnight and continued into Tuesday, May 27, with the cold front bringing sub-zero temperatures and natural accumulation at high elevations. The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) stated, that “a cold front is currently crossing the states’ northeast while a ridge builds over the rest of the state from a high over the Bight.”
Falls Creek was among the first to report snow this morning, with temperatures dropping to nearly -3°C overnight. “It’s snowing at Falls Creek! There has been 2cm of fresh snow that has already fallen across the mountain this morning, and our snowmakers are working hard to make the most of the cold temps,” said Betony Pitcher, Field Marketing Manager. “The winter energy is building, and there’s more snowfall on the way! Our snowmakers have also fired up the snowguns and will keep them going throughout the day if temperatures stay cold.”
Perisher initially reported more than 5 centimeters (2 inches) of snowfall overnight, but updated figures this evening show that total has doubled. “It was a wild night in the mountains last night and with it brought natural snow, which has us really excited for the upcoming season,” said Madeleine McVie, Field Marketing Coordinator at Perisher. “It’s also so good to see our brand new Mt Perisher 6 high-speed six-seater chairlift covered in snow for the first time.”
At Hotham, 3 centimeters (1 inch) of snow has fallen over the past 24 hours, with temperatures dipping to -2°C. “Temps dropped as low as -2C overnight, the guns were firing and we had fresh snow, as well,” said Alex Pankiw, Field Marketing Coordinator. “It’s really encouraging to wake up to snowfall two weeks in a row – we can’t wait for winter. Hopefully it’s a sign of good things to come for Hotham.”
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Thredbo and Mt Buller also reported snowfall beginning Tuesday afternoon and continuing into the evening, though neither resort has released official accumulation figures. However, both are celebrating the early arrival of snow as preparations ramp up for the season.
According to BOM, the cold front will move offshore by tomorrow, but a strong high-pressure ridge is expected to maintain cool conditions through the week — potentially setting up more snowmaking opportunities across the Alps.
With the official start of the ski season just weeks away, today’s snowfall is boosting optimism for a solid start to winter 2025.