Fresh Powder Arrives in New Zealand

Several New Zealand ski resorts are receiving a very welcome helping of fresh snow.

The Remarkables, Cardrona Alpine Resort, and Treble Cone Ski Area are all reporting seven or more inches of snowfall in the past 24 hours.

At Cardrona, which is touting slightly below average early season snowfall, the vibes seem to be high. “​​Can’t wait to see how this transforms the terrain in the coming days, and most importantly, can’t wait to get at it!” the resort wrote in a social media post.

"This latest storm has come just as that peak holiday period has ended, which will now set us up for a fantastic August," added Laura Hedley, the general manager of Cardrona and Treble Cone. She also noted that the recent snowfall should allow Cardrona to open its final unopened lift—Willow's—in the coming days. All of Treble Cone's terrain has already opened.

Yesterday, The Remarkables’ patrol team wrote “The drought is over” on Instagram. In a separate post, they explained that the new snow is falling on an old, firm surface, prompting the temporary closure of the Shadow Basin Chairlift and its accompanying terrain.

“If we continue to ski on what we have, the conditions will not improve, so we need to be patient,” the patrol team wrote in a social media post.

Multiple heavy snow warnings and watches are in effect across New Zealand’s South Island, where many of the country’s ski areas are located.

Unsurprisingly, the arrival of heavy snow elevates the risk for car-borne travelers. Gerard Bellam, a forecaster for New Zealand’s MetService, told The New Zealand Herald that “People do need to take care and keep up to date with our forecasts and warnings for the next few days.”

Australia, too, is experiencing a sudden blast of wintry weather. The Guardian reports that the mercury has fallen 5 degrees Celsius below seasonal average throughout much of the country’s eastern flank.

With August just around the corner, the Southern Hemisphere’s ski season is hovering around the halfway point. In New Zealand, the season tends to run through October—snowfall and ski area dependent—meaning there’s plenty of time for another storm cycle or three.

"It’s worth noting that it’s still early—we have another 2.5 months of the season to go," said Hedley.

Related: How Aaron Fox Skied 200 Days After Shattering His Femoral Neck

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