NSW resorts received their first big "dump" of snow on Tuesday night to have lifts up and running for the first time this season.
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While the traditional June long weekend provided a subdued start to the season weather-wise, the past 24 hours has brought 25cm to the high peaks at Thredbo, and a dusting in the main village where temperatures dropped to minus 3 degrees Celsius.
The biggest chairlift in the Snowy Mountains, Perisher's eight-seater Village Eight express chair on the resort's Front Valley, cranked into action on Wednesday at 8.30am allowing skiers and boarders to take their first lift-assisted runs of the new season.
Perisher marketing manager Maddi Ventura said the operators were impressed over the weekend "to see such keen Perisher skiers and snowboarders hike to the top of Front Valley to get their first runs of the season".
"But now we're giving them a little more help to get to the top thanks to our eight-seater chairlift," she said.
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Sub-zero conditions in the mountains have optimised the output of the resorts' snow guns. All 78 of Perisher's guns were running overnight and more light snow is expected over the coming days.
Wollongong-based Pete "The Frog" Taylor, regarded as one of the country's most accurate snow predictors, is expecting the major NSW resorts to receive up to 65cm in the next 15 days with Monday, June 19, as the next peak "dump".
Live snow cams from the refurbished Mt Selwyn, which is planning to re-open this season for the first time since the 2019-20 bushfires destroyed much of its key infrastructure, show the resort is finally receiving a good snow cover although the lifts are not yet swinging.
Richie Carroll, from Thredbo's marketing team, said the grooming teams had been out all night across the mountain and some chairlifts are likely to open on Wednesday morning.
On its social media channels, Thredbo's team excitedly reported: "The mountain is now white. Repeat: the mountain is now white".
Snow began falling from around 2pm on Tuesday and continued throughout the night, allowing all snow guns to operate and all snowcats and groomers to begin preparations.
Traditionally, Friday Flat and High Noon are the first runs to open after early season snowfalls at Thredbo.
More to come.
