Early Snowfall Sparks Excitement Ahead of Southern Hemisphere Ski Season
With Mt Hutt announcing an early opening and the Andes seeing major pre-season dumps, the Southern Hemisphere’s 2025 ski season is shaping up fast. Snowmaking ramps up in Australia as forecasts hint at more to come.
Southern Hemisphere
- Mt Hutt opening early after pre-season dump; Andes sees biggest falls
- Heavy snow due in South America with 60 cm+ forecast in the Andes
- New Zealand is on track for 25-50cm by next week
- Australia’s overnight lows to -10°C spark snowmaking and excitement
- Afriski in Lesotho sunny but cold; season start still weeks away
Countdown to Season Start
The 2025 ski season is just two weeks away for resorts in Australia, Lesotho, and New Zealand. Most will start small with machine-made snow, but if natural snowfall continues, early openings are possible.
Last year saw 3 m+ pre-season dumps in South America. Early signs are promising again, especially in the Andes.
🇳🇿 New Zealand: Mt Hutt Opens Early
After heavy snowfall, Mt Hutt plans to open two weeks early—on the final weekend of May. There’s been further snow this week (10–20cm), with more forecast.
🇦🇷🇨🇱 Andes: Big Pre-Season Falls
Las Lenas in Argentina and Portillo in Chile reported major new snowfalls, turning the slopes white a month before opening.
🇦🇺 Australia: Cold Enough for Snowmaking
Snowmaking systems are firing up across Australia, with overnight lows below freezing. Forecast lows near -10 °C could help build base depths even without heavy natural snow.
🇱🇸 Lesotho: Bluebird and Brisk
Afriski in Lesotho has seen near-constant sunshine. Daytime highs are around +10°C, but overnight lows dip to freezing. There is no snow just yet, but winter’s on the doorstep.
Southern Hemisphere Forecast
- South America: Mostly dry now, but another weekend storm could bring 60 cm+ snowfall.
- New Zealand: Showers expected all week; 25–50cm could accumulate.
- Australia: Cold nights and signs of light snow by the weekend.
- Lesotho: No snow, but cold nights persist.
