Slushy start: warmer winter a downer for ski slopes

The first dustings of winter snow have arrived on Australian mountaintops but long-range weather forecasts suggest it could be slow start to the ski season.
Skiers and boarders ideally want a solid base of snow covering rocks and shrubs yet the Bureau of Meteorology's predictions of ongoing above-average temperatures could delay big dumps on the mainland resorts.
Yet the University of Melbourne climate scientist Professor David Karoly said forecasts of above-average rainfall for cooler temperatures could lead to more snow overall this winter.
Weatherzone further described conditions as "unfavourable" early in the season, due to start officially on June 7, before improving in later months.
For snow to settle, it needs low-enough temperatures and adequate moisture.
Prof Karoly said there was a lot of guesswork in forecasting rain or snow several months ahead.
BOM's long-range forecasts do include estimates of precipitation but no specific outlook for the Kosciuszko and Victorian alpine areas.
Yet Prof Karoly said climate change was having a clear impact on longer-term trends, already cutting snow seasons short and thinning coverage, particularly at lower elevations.
"The snow season depends often on getting a base of snow and then repeated, if you like, big dumps of snow," he told AAP.
"And unfortunately, for much of the last 10 to 15 years, there have been fewer-than-normal big dumps of snow, which means there has been relatively poor snow seasons."
Snow-making is challenged by higher overnight temperatures, he added, and is less likely to stick around if days stay warm.
Extra rainfall in warmer conditions then serves to wash away the snow cover base.
Last year, an Australian National University report found the average ski season across Australian resorts could be 44 days shorter by 2025 under a mid-emissions scenario.
The study, commissioned by climate advocacy group Protect our Winters Australia, was not isolated to ski tourism and found climate change was harming fragile high country ecosystems, putting unique species like Pygmy-possums at risk.
Protect our Winters Australia director Lily O'Neill, who lives 30 minutes from the mountains, said her two sons were "profoundly upset" by shortening snow seasons.
"The mountains are massively at threat right now from climate change," she told AAP.
Ms O'Neill said Australia's snowy landscapes could recover if greenhouse gas emissions were reduced rapidly, as highlighted in the 2024 ANU report.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Sydney Morning Herald

3 hours ago

• Sydney Morning Herald

Burst of springlike weather forecast after parts of NSW colder than Antarctica

A taste of springlike warmth will offer Sydneysiders a reprieve from its frigid winter weather early next week after parts of NSW woke to conditions colder than Antarctica on the weekend's winter solstice. Monday will see a high of 22 degrees, the Bureau of Meteorology forecasts, as a burst of warm air moving east across the continent drives June temperatures 5 degrees above average before the winds of winter return from Tuesday. The warm day comes after towns across NSW ushered in Saturday's winter solstice with their coldest morning in years. Canberra recorded a pre-dawn temperature of -7.6 degrees, its coldest June morning in 39 years. Forbes shivered through a low of -5.5 degrees, the coldest June morning there in 27 years, and Cowra had its coldest dawn in a decade at -3.1 degrees. Loading Goulburn and Cooma even out-iced Antarctica, hitting respective lows of -10 and -8.6 degrees on Saturday morning and offering residents a taste of what it's like to wake up within the polar circle: Antarctica's Davis Station clocked -8.4 degrees at the same time, according to Weatherzone. The frosty snap was caused by a high-pressure system parked over south-east Australia, keeping a dry and cold air mass over inland NSW. The winter solstice marks the day of the year with the shortest daylight hours (9 hours and 54 minutes for Sydney) which contributed to the frosty morning. 'We've had clear skies, light winds, and at the moment the nights are longest, which means we can really lose heat overnight,' bureau meteorologist Gabrielle Woodhouse said.

The Age

3 hours ago

• The Age

Burst of springlike weather forecast after parts of NSW colder than Antarctica

A taste of springlike warmth will offer Sydneysiders a reprieve from its frigid winter weather early next week after parts of NSW woke to conditions colder than Antarctica on the weekend's winter solstice. Monday will see a high of 22 degrees, the Bureau of Meteorology forecasts, as a burst of warm air moving east across the continent drives June temperatures 5 degrees above average before the winds of winter return from Tuesday. The warm day comes after towns across NSW ushered in Saturday's winter solstice with their coldest morning in years. Canberra recorded a pre-dawn temperature of -7.6 degrees, its coldest June morning in 39 years. Forbes shivered through a low of -5.5 degrees, the coldest June morning there in 27 years, and Cowra had its coldest dawn in a decade at -3.1 degrees. Loading Goulburn and Cooma even out-iced Antarctica, hitting respective lows of -10 and -8.6 degrees on Saturday morning and offering residents a taste of what it's like to wake up within the polar circle: Antarctica's Davis Station clocked -8.4 degrees at the same time, according to Weatherzone. The frosty snap was caused by a high-pressure system parked over south-east Australia, keeping a dry and cold air mass over inland NSW. The winter solstice marks the day of the year with the shortest daylight hours (9 hours and 54 minutes for Sydney) which contributed to the frosty morning. 'We've had clear skies, light winds, and at the moment the nights are longest, which means we can really lose heat overnight,' bureau meteorologist Gabrielle Woodhouse said.

Herald Sun

10 hours ago

• Herald Sun

Diamond Valley weather: Forecast for June 22

Don't miss out on the headlines from Hyperlocal. Followed categories will be added to My News. Today's forecast is mostly cloudy; showers; s/se winds. A dew point of 13.8 at 2am today means the temperature will feel like a comfortable 16.2 degrees. The relative humidity is 91 per cent. The highest expected temperature today is 23, which is 1 degree higher than yesterday's max. Warmer conditions are expected on two of the next six days, with the mercury climbing above today's maximum on Tuesday and Wednesday. The chance of rain today is 90 per cent. Showers are less likely tomorrow with the Bureau of Meteorology forecasting a high (70 per cent) chance of rain. The UV index is predicted to be 3. There is a moderate risk of harm from sun exposure. Experts suggest covering up, using sunscreen outside and avoiding the sun around noon. Winds will be south-southeast around 5 km/h in the morning shifting to east-southeast around 8 km/h in the afternoon. Details for the next six days: Monday, June 23: Mostly cloudy. Showers. SW winds tending E'ly Min - 14. Max - 23. Tuesday, June 24: Partly cloudy. Rain at times. W'ly winds tending N'ly Min - 14. Max - 24. Wednesday, June 25: Mostly sunny. W'ly winds Min - 14. Max - 25. Thursday, June 26: Mostly sunny. SW winds Min - 10. Max - 22. Friday, June 27: Mostly cloudy. Late shower. S'ly winds Min - 10. Max - 21. Saturday, June 28: Mostly cloudy. Showers. S'ly winds Min - 13. Max - 21. The previous Diamond Valley weather article can be viewed here.