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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
National
Peter Brewer

Snowfalls forecast for upcoming peak school holiday period at resorts

Pre-winter snow falls across parts of Australia | May 30, 2022 | ACM

The NSW snowfields could receive up to 34 centimetres of snow in the next 10 days, further topping up the significant early season falls which have already drawn thousands of people to the Perisher and Thredbo resorts.

The start to the 2022 season has been described as the best in 22 years.

Both Perisher and Thredbo are maximising the sprint start to the season after two heavily COVID-affected ski seasons.

One of Australia's closely followed and respected snowfall predictors, Pete "the Frog" Taylor, has forecast on snowatch.com.au that both NSW resorts will receive between 13 to 33 cms of snow in the next 10 days, possibly continuing for a further five days thereafter.

Renata Hercock leans into a turn on Mt Perisher. Picture: Perisher

He predicted that this week would bring a weak change on Friday that will see more showers that will fall as snow above around 1700-1800 metres level.

Sunday will bring another cool change bringing see "snow falling up high and lowering a little early on Monday [the] 27th".

Thredbo is gearing up for the peak period with its July Kids Snow Festival. Picture: Thredbo

His forecast has June 29 and 30 and July 1 and 2 as the next major snowfall days for the resorts, with the end of June as the peak time when between 5-10cm of snow is likely.

His prediction couldn't be better for the resort operators as these snowfall will coincide with upcoming public school holidays.

Term 2 in the ACT and NSW ends on July 1, and both resorts are planning major events for what is, aside from the opening weekend this year when the Perisher car parks overflowed and people had to be turned away, traditionally the busiest period of the season.

For the upcoming holiday peak, Thredbo has its July Kids Snow Festival with kids-only movie night, flare runs, games and fireworks.

However, for those heading to the mountains, the death of an 18-year-old skier at Thredbo last weekend provided a reminder that skiing and snowboarding also carry a sizeable risk factor.

Last Sunday an 18-year-old Sydney man, Oliver Johnston, who graduated from the Shore School last year, died after he lost control on the upper High Noon area of the Supertrail and hit a tree at high speed.

The teenager suffered extensive injuries in the impact and despite the best efforts of rescuers, died before he could be airlifted to hospital.

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