A Foot of Snow Overnight—Australia's Ski Season Starting Strong

Mt. Hotham had a similarly encouraging social post. In it, a person trudged through waist-deep snow. The ski resort, in its latest report, stated that it had received just under a foot of powder, although more has likely arrived since then.

With 48 inches of snow this season so far, Mt. Hotham is already almost halfway to its yearly average of 118 inches (the ski resort plans to stay open until October 5, 2025).

“If you woke up … this morning and thought you were dreaming—you’re not alone,” wrote another mountain, Thredbo, in a piece of ski resort news. The snow had transformed “the village into a true winter wonderland,” Thredbo said.

The wintry weather isn’t just good news for skiers. Ahead of the storm, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported that the precipitation, which also included rain, would provide relief to dry areas of the country. In parts of Australia’s southern coastline, this June has produced the wettest month in up to two years, the ABC added.

The conditions mark a pleasant departure from recent history, which hasn’t been the kindest to Aussie snow fields. According to Time Out, the winters of 2023 and 2024 were Australia’s hottest on record. At the end of the nation’s previous ski season, a lack of snow forced some mountains to close earlier than usual.

For now, though, that’s the past. This week, the southern hemisphere winter is making its presence known. Here’s to more powder turns in the coming months.