Data reveals highest snowfalls at Southern Hemisphere ski resorts

With the 2023 winter season approaching, newly released new data has revealed the ski resorts in the Southern Hemisphere with the highest snowfall - with Wanaka’s Treble Cone on South Island topping the list.

The New Zealand resort boasted 349cm of snow from June through September, topping Australia’s favourite resort, Perisher, by 134% and Queenstown’s Coronet Peak by 90%.

Collating data from numerous sources, the findings on Snow Season Central website provide unprecedented insights into the best winter sports destinations in terms of snow coverage and also highlight the historically snowiest weeks of the season.

Snow Season Central, a leading informational platform for global ski seasons, initiated the study utilising the data from Snow Forecast, an outstanding weather forecasting service - examining 15 years’ worth of mid-mountain snowfall records from 1st June to 30th September from the top 20 ski resorts in Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, and Chile.

Australia and New Zealand's Top Resorts

The findings, sourced from reliable snowfall records, showed Falls Creek in Victoria as Australia’s snowiest resort, with 199cm of snow in the June to September period. Notably, the analysis showcased that New Zealand’s resorts generally receive more snowfall than their Australian counterparts, with Thredbo and Perisher in NSW lagging in the rankings.

In a significant comparison, Falls Creek receives an average of 39% more snow than Thredbo.

Despite having the gloomiest record last winter, leading to a voluntary bankruptcy filing, Whakapapa and Turoa - two North Island resorts - historically see some of New Zealand’s most robust snowfall. The silver lining appeared last month when the New Zealand government accepted bids for new resort owners, breathing new life into these potentially powder-rich destinations.

The study pointed out that certain South American ski resorts historically witness over three times the snowfall of their Australian or New Zealand peers.

Snowiest Weeks of the Season

Further, the study pinpoints the historically snowiest weeks of the season at each resort, catering to powder snow aficionados. Though the results varied significantly by country, resorts in close proximity exhibited similar trends.

Ed Raine, Director of Snow Season Central, emphasised the increasing significance of these trends, given the evolving climate and its impact on the snowsports industry.

He noted that while several factors influence trip planning, snowfall should be considered crucial. Raine cautioned that advertised snowfall statistics from resort websites might not reflect recent seasons due to changing climate trends, making unbiased sources like Snow Forecast indispensable.

Snow Forecast and Snow Season Central were the primary sources of this information.

For an in-depth view of the study’s findings, including a comprehensive week-by-week snowfall data breakdown for each resort go to www.snowseasoncentral.com

Main image: Treble Cone.