Storm Journal – June 23rd -26th: Rain, Pow, Sunshine

Mountainwatch| Reggae Elliss

Well, it has been quite a week in the mountains, two back-to-back fronts having a big impact, although the first one wasn’t one we wanted. It delivered a deluge of rain, warm temps and howling northwest winds, Perisher recording 73mm over an 1o- hour period from 10pm Monday to 9am Tuesday morning while Thredbo and Falls Creek recorded around 60cms over 12 hours.

Hotham’s rain gauge measured a massive 88mm by 7am Tuesday morning when temps finally dropped and the rain turned to light snow. As you’d expect, the snowpack took a hit, particularly at lower elevations and flowing creeks made an unwelcome return at most resorts.

Fortunately, a second colder system was in the forecast, and it was always due to deliver and in the lead up our daily automated forecasts were calling some big totals, but they were backed up by the Grasshopper. He is a professional meteorologist specialising in snow forecasting and his Monday forecast inspired more confidence:

“A punchy storm from the west leads in with horrendously strong, warm and wet northwest winds today (Monday) and Tuesday, giving our lovely early snow cover a thorough drenching of rain. Fortunately, cold air will arrive during the latter half of Tuesday, bringing heavy snowfall and blizzard conditions through Wednesday.

“By Thursday morning, we should be looking at totals of 25 to 40 cm throughout the resorts, with 50+ cm possible in the more exposed terrain, although Mt Baw Baw is expected to get about 15 to 25 cm.”

And here we are. Those snow totals came through and the snowpack has been repaired and is looking good. Yesterday was one of the best June powder days in years and today was cold and sunny with quality dry snow. Now we are in for a run of mainly fine weather and cold nights which will maintain the snowpack and keep the snowmakers busy. It has been a few years since we published two storm journals in June and as we head into the third weekend of the season, it is looking pretty good.