New Zealand Forecast – Ski Fields Pick Up Fresh Snow, Will It Be Enough To Get Us Through A Rough Spell Fri & Sat?
Published early Wednesday, 17th June 2026
We’ve had a slight change in fortune the last couple of days, thanks to a pair of cold fronts giving us a shot of snow. Canterbury received snow on Monday, with Mt Hutt scoring 8-15cm, so the slopes there are looking gloriously white.
We’re still waiting on reports for the Southern Lakes, which is expected to have received snow Tuesday night. Earlier forecasts were calling for 5-15cm, but we can now expect 2-8cm. However, cold temperatures should have the snow guns blazing for much of Wednesday and Thursday, making up the shortfall.
If we could leave it at that, we’d be looking much better for the rescheduled Opening Day this Saturday. However, conditions will deteriorate on Friday before becoming much rougher on Saturday with strong winds and heavy rain lashing the South Island as an active front passes over. Our new, fledgling snowpack will take a hit, but hopefully there’s enough left over for Sunday when the weather will be much nicer and settled.
Wednesday 17th June
Fresh snow for the Southern Lakes after the front crosses the region overnight. Leftover cloud will clear later in the morning, and cold southwest breezes should have the snow guns blazing throughout the day.
The front passes over Canterbury before breaky, with just a light dusting for ski fields along the Craigieburn Range, while Mt Hutt stays dry. A deck of clouds may lower below base levels in the afternoon as a northwest breeze develops; we might see some snowmaking before then.
Thursday 18th June
A nice, fine day for South Island ski fields, with just a little cloud during the morning. Light, chilly breezes from the west to southwest should have the snow guns running for long periods, especially morning and night.
Friday 19th June
Strong northwesterlies develop and cloud increases over the South Island as a front approaches from the west. Rain showers will start spilling over the Main Divide onto the Southern Lakes from the afternoon, and then onto Canterbury from evening. It’ll be too warm for snow or snowmaking, so our poor wee snowpack will take a bit of a hit.
Saturday 20th
It’ll be a rough day for the much-anticipated Opening Day with strong northwest winds and rain lashing the South Island as a front passes over. The rain will be heavy for a time as the front crosses the Southern Lakes in the morning, and then Canterbury in the afternoon. Conditions will ease behind the front, so if you were to pick a time and place, I’d say late afternoon in the Southern Lakes would be the pick in a bunch of sour grapes. The northwester in Canterbury will be off the charts, so Mt Hutt isn’t likely to open.
Sunday 21st
A much nicer day for a proper opening with sunny skies and chilly westerly breezes, which will have the snow guns running again, especially down in the Southern Lakes. Hopefully, there’s enough of a snowpack left to get things going.
Extended Forecast
Next week, a ridge of high pressure will keep things nice and settled on Monday and Tuesday, the 22nd and 23rd June. Signs then look promising for snow at some point between Wednesday, the 24th and Sunday, the 28th, with models picking a significant cold outbreak. Hopefully Friday’s forecast will give us more confidence on this one.
That’s all from me today, folks. I’m sending out NZ forecasts every Monday, Wednesday and Friday throughout the season. Have a great couple of days, and I’ll see you back here on Friday.
Grasshopper
