With the 2026 Australian snow season fast approaching, experts have cautioned that snowmaking machines at ski resorts are poised for extensive use. The season officially commences on Saturday, June 6, and the latest long-range forecast predicts unusually warm conditions across the country this year, driven by an El Niño pattern.
Warmer and Drier Winter Expected
Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) senior meteorologist Jonathan How stated that the El Niño pattern will bring a drier and warmer than usual winter across southern and eastern Australia, including the ski slopes. However, he noted that a slow start does not necessarily dictate the entire season's outcome.
"Last year was a good example. It was very dry and warm to start off with, but we did see some very big weather systems coming through later in the piece and did see some pretty good ski conditions across some of the high alpine areas," Mr How said. He advised those planning to visit ski resorts to check the forecast regularly.
Snowmaking Machines to Work Overtime
Mr How highlighted that dry, clear nights will create favourable conditions for snowmaking. "Some of the machines will be running overtime ahead of the launch of the ski season," he added. Australia's snow season is notoriously variable, with some years providing deep cover lasting six months, as in 1964, while others barely cover the grass for a few weeks, like in 2006.
Snowmaking operations have already begun at several resorts, including Perisher and Thredbo in New South Wales. The process involves the same ingredients as natural snow—air and water—but the water is highly pressurised and the air compressed. When pumped into the atmosphere together, water droplets freeze and fall as a fine mist, forming a snow layer denser than natural snow because it does not form as flakes high in the atmosphere.
Natural Snowfall Windows Ahead
At Perisher, temperatures dropped to -5.5°C on Thursday morning, tying the coldest night of 2026, which created ideal snowmaking conditions on the Front Valley slope. According to Weatherzone, two windows for natural snowfall are expected: the first next week when a low-pressure system and cooler airmass move over southeast Australia, and potentially around the start of June when snow-laden cold fronts could reach the mountains in time for the season opening.
Despite the warmer-than-average autumn forecast, Mr How emphasised that this increases the odds but does not guarantee very dry conditions. An El Niño typically means less rain for Australian farmers from the Wheatbelt in Western Australia through to the Northern Tablelands and Darling Downs. "It does mean less rainfall coming through, but it doesn't mean that we won't get any rainfall at all," he said, adding that rain systems and cold conditions will still occur, though the season is likely to be warm and dry overall, which is not favourable for farmers needing rain to kick off the growing season.
