PHOTOS – April SNOW Heralds the Start of Winter 2012

April 26th, 2012

Good times with snowballs at Falls Creek. Image:: Chris Hocking

Winter weather | Tessa Cook

Say what you will about pre-season snowfalls, the year’s first all-white morning is always a little thrilling. This week the Snowies and the High Country were enveloped in a 3cm – 5cm snow blanket; time to start thinking winter, we think so.

“It was exciting to watch that funky little pool of cold air whip up over south-eastern Australia and send freezing levels plummeting so that snow could settle earlier this week,” said The Grasshopper. “Check out a few snow cams and you can’t help but get amped about the little white coat still hugging the peaks. Let’s hope that by the time winter arrives we’re seeing plenty of similar, fast moving, hit and run systems, as opposed to the slow moving lows of last year that had a nasty habit of sucking warm air and rain in from the east. I can’t wait to start forecasting snow again this season.”

To keep up to date, remember to check the forecasts regularly and watch out for The Grasshopper’s daily detailed analyses beginning 21 May – that’s right, The Grasshopper will be back in three weeks!

Until then, check out his Australian Snow Season Outlook.

The new ticketing gates at Buller getting their first taste of snow. Image:: Mt Buller

The new ticketing gates at Buller getting their first taste of snow. Image:: Mt Buller

No more bushwalking to Dead Horse Gap! Image: Thredbo

No more bushwalking to Dead Horse Gap! Image: Thredbo

Hotham's slopeside lodges. Image:: Hotham

Hotham’s slopeside lodges. Image:: Hotham

Snow on the Main Range. Image:: Perisher

Snow on the Main Range. Image:: Perisher

Falls Creek. Image: Mitch McWilliam

Falls Creek. Image: Mitch McWilliam

Lodges at Perisher starting to look wintery. Image:: Perisher

Lodges at Perisher starting to look wintery. Image:: Perisher

Thredbo's Rosi Racecourse looking ready for the season... almost. Image:: Thredbo

Thredbo’s Rosi Racecourse looking ready for the season… almost. Image:: Thredbo

Snow down to Dead Horse Gap at Thredbo. Image:: Thredbo

Snow down to Dead Horse Gap at Thredbo. Image:: Thredbo

Perisher forecasts,
snow reports and
live snow cams.

Falls Creek forecasts,
snow reports and
live snow cams.

Mount Buller forecasts,
snow reports and
live snow cams.

Hotham forecasts,
snow reports and
live snow cams.

Thredbo forecasts,
snow reports and
live snow cams.