Australia/NZ Snow Seasons

janewaystv · Unread post by **janewaystv** » Tue 18/07/2006 22:23

This year's snow season has been very disappointing in the Oz mountains with many people forced to cancel bookings/holidays due to poor snow falls this year. Last year snowfalls was the best in Oz for many years.

NZ had little snow last year, this year have heaps, its like both countries switch snow seasons.

Manukau heads obs · Tue 18/07/2006 22:49

a high over OZ means cold sotherlies here....you cant have it both ways...
cold southerlies over OZ would (could) mean more warmer northerlies over NZ....

but both countried can still do Ok for snow for the ski fields if the cold southerly moves from OZ to NZ and they both get a bite of the same cake.....

thats the way i see it (simplisticly!)

janewaystv · Unread post by **janewaystv** » Tue 18/07/2006 23:00

Here in Oz, its a SW airflow that produces most of the mountain snowfalls, southerlies (really bitter big ones that is) can too but not as much as the SW ones. Plenty of southerlies here over last 6-7 weeks but only bringing rain instead of snow to the mountains, people are moaning about it heaps here

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spwill · Unread post by **spwill** » Wed 19/07/2006 08:42

Here in Oz, its a SW airflow that produces most of the mountain snowfalls, southerlies

Yes, it's the disturbed West/South Westerlies that bring the snow to the OZ ski fields and they are more likely from August. Our snow fields can have the same problem esp down in Otago..

Manukau heads obs · Wed 19/07/2006 10:40

yeah, so, while there is those big highs over the SE OZ area, you are not getting those strong SW buster fronts (isnt that what they are called over there?)...
the highs need to retreat more to the NW? (stretching from the indian ocean to north of perth, across to northern queensland....i.e alot further north than they have been?)

janewaystv · Unread post by **janewaystv** » Wed 19/07/2006 23:16

If you look at the weather maps for OZ/NZ, that is what is happening, has been for the last 6-7 weeks. Lack of strong SW weather this winter so far (look at Melbourne-had thier driest June since 1858 with only 8mm) and recall Flutterbye saying not many SWers in Invercargill as well. I prefer the S-SE airflows as they bring lots of rain to Sydney, SW airflows dont, they bring rain and snowfalls to Victoria and Tas, but dry and sunny weather to Sydney.

janewaystv · Unread post by **janewaystv** » Wed 19/07/2006 23:20

But then snowfalls can occur in August and September, instead of June and July as was the case in 1969, 1976, 1981 and 1994 over SA, Vic Tas and NSW mountains. Weather can vary considerably month to month esp in southern and eastern Oz.

Willoughby · Unread post by **Willoughby** » Wed 19/07/2006 23:37

janewaystv wrote:But then snowfalls can occur in August and September, instead of June and July ...

I think one big factor contributing to this is because the water temperatures in the southern oceans are at thier coldest time of the year..
operates a bit like a late March cyclone bearing down off the tropics, when sea temperatures are peaking.

janewaystv · Unread post by **janewaystv** » Wed 09/08/2006 22:26

Looks like a burst of cold air in a SW airflow might bring season 2006 best snowfalls to mountains/alps of Vic and NSW sometime next week. A very disappointing snow season here so far, NZ snowfalls have been discussed a lot here in the papers, we are so envious of you guys having all that snow

Many festivals been cancelled, with some ski-fields closing up early.