New Zealand In Sep - Oct

Learning the hard way · Thu 30/03/2006 15:58

Hey, im trying to plan a bit of a ski holiday, and im looking for some inforamtion regarding the weather and what the snow might be like, and i thought where better to ask than a forumn full of people that might know or point in the right direction to find out!

Basically, im planning a ski trip to new zealand (Queenstown) with my friends, but we cant get time off until late in the season, around the 22 sep - 2 oct. Do any of you know what the snow was like around that time in previous years? are we likely to still catch the ski season or is it going to be too late?

Anyways, any information that you could give me would be very helpful...

Thanks

Manukau heads obs · Thu 30/03/2006 16:24

once those warm NWers arrive in the spring, any snow that falls in the snow fields around queenstown from a cold front going through melts pretty quickly
i.e there will be snow, after the passage of a cold front (with the wind change to colder SW or southerlies), but the next NW blow will melt it quick, so it wil be only short lived
i think i am correct in saying that , for that time of year, but others with more know will correct me if i am wrong

Flutterbye · Unread post by **Flutterbye** » Thu 30/03/2006 16:36

I'm no skier but I'm pretty sure that over the last few years the season has been over by then, well at least it has at Coronet Peak, Queenstown. Maybe someone with more info will help.

Michael · Unread post by **Michael** » Thu 30/03/2006 18:53

The seasons appear to be getting later so it probably be wet and cold still gauging the last 5 years

spwill · Unread post by **spwill** » Thu 30/03/2006 19:18

Varies from year to year, you could go to Queenstown mid August and find poor snow on the skii fields and yet the snow cover some years is still very good at the end of September.
Last year was a very poor year for snow so perhaps we are due for a snowy winter.

NZstorm · Unread post by **NZstorm** » Thu 30/03/2006 20:13

I agree that NZ is due for a colder winter, provided global warming allows this to happen.

Most reliable snow in NZ for skiing occurs at Mt Hutt and Mt Ruapheu.

NZ Thunderstorm Soc · Thu 30/03/2006 20:31

Ben "Snow" Tichbourne would be the best authority on this !!

JohnGaul
NZTS

spwill · Unread post by **spwill** » Thu 30/03/2006 22:13

Most reliable snow in NZ for skiing occurs at Mt Hutt and Mt Ruapheu

Much better apres ski in Queenstown and your close to four fields.

NZ ski season finishes Labour weekend, thats early October.

Learning the hard way · Fri 31/03/2006 10:44

Thanks for the help, i realise that you can't predict the season for me

but its always good to gauge what it has been like in previous years... I will keep fishing around for any more info, and i will talk to my friends about the posssibilty of changing dates... we in North Queensland had been due for a big cyclone for the past few years and we got it this year, so maybe new zealand will get their big winter

Thanks

RWood · Unread post by **RWood** » Fri 31/03/2006 10:50

Last August was exceptional for warmth, dryness and sunshine so the seasons weren't really "late". The snow event in September was a hiccup.

Willoughby · Unread post by **Willoughby** » Fri 31/03/2006 10:58

Ski season '04 was record breaking for Mt Ruapehu with it extending into the New Year. (A cold August and December aided that)

tich · Unread post by **tich** » Fri 31/03/2006 18:37

Ben "Snow" Tichbourne would be the best authority on this !!

Don't ask me - I'm no better expert than many others. Gary or Andy would probably know the most about conditions down there. All I can say is that (certainly in recent years) conditions vary greatly from year to year.