New Zealand’s Southern Alps see a small, wet early-week storm that peaks on Tuesday, with Mt Hutt and Mount Dobson leading totals. Snow levels start high Monday night near 6,200–6,600 feet, then drop into the 4,700–5,000 feet range on Tuesday as temperatures settle near freezing, improving the odds of snow reaching lower mountain elevations. Snow quality stays on the heavy side with SLRs mostly around 6–7:1, so expect dense, moisture-rich snow rather than light powder, and moderate southeast winds add some exposed-ridge bite.
Monday night (02/02) starts warm and marginal, with snow levels running near 6,200–6,600 feet. With SLRs near 6:1, any accumulation that does fall will be very dense, and lower mountain terrain will struggle to hold wintry character while the snow level sits close to or above many base elevations.
Tuesday (02/03) delivers the bulk of the snowfall as snow levels fall to roughly 4,700–5,000 feet and temperatures hover in the mid-30s. This is when Mt Hutt and Mount Dobson stack up the most meaningful new snow, landing in the 5″–8″ and 4″–6″ ranges, while Porters adds a lighter 3″–4″. SLRs stay low at about 6–7:1, so the new snow will ski dense if and when terrain becomes available, with the best feel on higher-elevation pitches where temperatures remain colder. Southeast winds trend 15–20 mph with gusts up to 35–40 mph, so expect some texture and drift potential on exposed ridgelines.
Don’t get your hopes up too much! New Zealand ski resorts typically don’t open until mid-June, so we’ve still got a ways to go.
Resort Forecast Totals
- Mt Hutt – 5″–8″ My night (02/02) – Tue (02/03)
- Mount Dobson – 4″–6″ My night (02/02) – Tue (02/03)
- Porters – 3″–4″ Tue (02/03)
