NZ Weekly Weather Blog – Season’s Beginnings

July 5th, 2012

Blog | Matt White

Kia Ora everyone!

Welcome back to the NZ weekly weather blog; it is here where you’ll find plenty of information regarding latest snowfalls, snow conditions, events, and may aid you in planning your ski trip across the ditch.

So far its shaping up to be an awesome season.. extremely cold temperatures (even the locals are complaining about how much colder it seems this year than in previous years), which mean lots of snowmaking and if mother nature comes to the party there will be natural snow too! By now most fields have opened and are enjoying limited skiing and boarding on piste, another dump of fresh snow (30cm +) and we should be finding our way around most of the mountain.

TC Snowmakers getting some runs in on the job Image: Treble Cone

Here’s how the weather is shaping up for the week to follow..
Looking like a cold but relatively fine week, sharpen your edges and wear lots of sunscreen, the school holidays are looking good for getting up the mountain!

North Island

Whakapapa/Turoa/Tukino: Snow showers forecast through the weekend with a moderate to strong S/SE wind. By Monday your looking at clear skies and little wind.. depending on the quantity of snow fallen their could be some good pockets of powder about the mtn.
Manganui: Looking relatively fine this week, a few clouds here and there and light SE winds.

South Island

North Cantebury

Rainbow: Clear and sunny with some light S breezes and hard frosts overnight.. make sure you have sharp edges and sunscreen!
Hamner Springs/ Mt Lyford: A little bit of wet weather tomorrow with freezing level at 1200m, the rest of the week however is looking magic with clear skies and very light S winds.

Mid Cantebury

Temple Basin, Broken River, Cragieburn, Cheeseman: A bit of drizzle forecast for tomorrow but other than that is looking like a fine week ahead and some light S winds.
Mt Hutt, Porters, Mt Olympus: Chance of some moisture falling tomorrow with a freezing level of 1200 (chance of snow snow maybe) but for the rest of the week its looking fine and sunny with light S winds.

South Cantebury

Mt Dobson, Fox Peak, Roundhill, Ohau: Some morning drizzle tomorrow, becoming fine later on and followed by the rest of the week looking fine and dandy with little wind.

Southern Lakes

Cardrona, Treble Cone, Snowpark/Snowfarm, Coronet peak, Remarkables: A bit foggy for the next few days but looking fine up above the inversion layer, some light S winds fluttering in and out over the weekend, mostly fine and sunny all week in between the fog.

Sunny day at Coronet Peak Image: NZSKI.COM

Heres how the resorts are shaping up snow-wise (in CM)

Whakapapa 76
Turoa 110
Tukino On hold
Manganui 47
Rainbow 50
Hamner Springs 80
Mt Lyford 85
Mt Hutt 97
Porters 55
Mt Cheeseman 75
Mt Olympus 85
Cragieburn 75
Temple Basin 116
Broken River 65
Fox Peak On Hold
Mt Dobson On Hold
Roundhill 40
Ohau 85
Treble Cone 45
Cardrona 55
Snow Park 37
Snow Farm 15
Coronet Peak 65
Remarkables 60
Queenstown Snowcats On Hold

Cardronas mascot ‘Pengi’ getting his jib on in the Cardrona Park Image: Cardrona

Local Knowledge

Be sure to get up Treble Cone if you are in the neighborhood.. the views are spectacular at the moment- up above the inversion layer and on a clear day there is snow almost down to the lake.. epic photo material people!!

As the season is in its infant stages still, be careful out there.. lots of unseen/hidden dangers that could cause harm to you or your skis/board.. let it snow a bit more before you start getting extreme off piste, we want you in one piece!!

Have fun out there and well see you back here next thursday…..and as always….. pray for snow.

The Remarkables forecasts,
snow reports and
live snow cams.

Treble Cone forecasts,
snow reports and
live snow cams.

Snow Park forecasts,
snow reports and
live snow cams.

Cardrona forecasts,
snow reports and
live snow cams.

Turoa forecasts,
snow reports and
live snow cams.

Coronet Peak forecasts,
snow reports and
live snow cams.

Whakapapa forecasts,
snow reports and
live snow cams.

Mount Hutt forecasts,
snow reports and
live snow cams.