Southern Lakes including Queenstown and Wanaka
Free and Independent
So they say it's Australia's turn for some snow. Here's a post from Peter Sondstrum on the aus.snow newsgroup ( wonder why we don't we have a nz.snow newsgroup? )
"Make sure you leave some of the current snow falls for NZ. We're suffering from a Low that came from Queensland and is pumping a warm northerly rain on a lot of the fields. Down south hasn't been too bad, they've had a little top up, but another 1m+ dump next week would be perfect for my 2 week break.
Heck I wouldn't mind another 1m + dump either! The temperatures have been pretty mild in the last few days, nearly all the snow has melted around our house, and the lower areas of the fields are doing a bit of a melt down. Variable off piste firm tracked snow and crusty conditions have been a challenge but there are some good pockets out there.
And a sign of the times is the presence of the "Magic Mountain Ski Shuttle" in Queenstown. Yep, about 30 of the staff from Whakapapa Snow Area on Mt Ruapehu have been told to go bush for a while and check out the southern snow fields while the North Island waits for snow.
Evan " go the Blacks " Bloomfield
View our previous snow reports online.
>+++ Sleek online magazine from our sponsor nzski.com
Make sure you visit Sleek, the free online magazine for nzski.com. Every fortnight Sleek has updates on our ski areas, events, news and reviews. Heaps of inside goss for snowboarders, skiers and families. Some flash photos too!
>================ KiwiNewZ SnowReports on TV One
Those of you in New Zealand may have seen the Snow Reports on TV One every Thursday. These are short snippets put together by Lynn and Jay from Wild Pictures featuring snow news from around New Zealand and show either with the weather at 6:55 pm ish or in the late news depending on what else happens around the world.
Well this week ( tonight ) good old KiwiNewZ and yours truly ( blush ) feature on the TV Snow Report. You get to see me in the flesh, have a quick look at two of our SnowCam sites and get some feedback from Hamish up at the Remarkables. Well that's what I think is going to happen!
So if you are in New Zealand tune in to TV One news on Thursday for your chance to see EvOnCam.
>================ More weather reports on the web
In our 22 June SnowReport we mentioned Rob Davies automatic Snow Forecast system for New Zealand. Well Rob has come up with the goods and developed an identical system for South Eastern Australia. This is a well layed out weather forecast map with red freezing level contours and blue rain fall contours. Colour codes are used for the amount of snow and shades of grey for rainfall.
I had a quick look at Rob's 48 hour accumulated forecast for the Lakes District
and Rob's forecast is for light snow at high altitude. The local weather forecasters
are picking snow to low levels Friday nightish, Augie Auer ( I am sure I have
spelt that wrong ) from TV 3 says that the sea is warm and winter is over,
Jim Hickey didn't say anything about snow and this mornings weather charts
show a 992 Low heading straight for Milford Sound. Lets see who's right!
For Robs Snow Forecast check out;
http://www.geo.vuw.ac.nz/~robd/snow.html
We also had an email from Simon Hanson somewhere in Australia. Simon is predicting this coming Sunday ( 25 July ) as the date to watch for snow in Queenstown. He offered these two links;
http://grads.iges.org/pix/aus2.144hr.gif
SLP/1000-500mb Thickness - a lovely looking picture of Australia and New Zealand
but bugger me if I can work it out. Sea Level Pressure is shown in coloured
contour lines measured in millibars. The colours are a great touch with blue
indicating deep low. Then we have a black line wandering through the whole
lot. Apparently this is the "1000-500mb Thickness" line and it's
measured in "dam"'s. What are they?
http://www.bom.gov.au/bmrc/medr/graphics/gasp/mslp.5.gif
This ones a nice colourful picture as well with pressure gradients, some strange looking diagonal lines and colours. Not actually too sure what the colours indicate but the numbers are in millimetres and it measures something called "THIK" ? :)
So however you guess what the weather does make sure you enter our competition to guess the date when snow will next fall on the trees in our CoronetCam and you could win two free nights accommodation in a luxury Queenstown apartment!
>================ Oz Snow Reports, Thursday 22 July
Here is the new snow in last 24 hours for a few of the snow fields over the ditch.
Victoria - Falls Creek 8cm, Mt Buller 6cm, Hotham 7cm and Mt Baw Baw ( that's where I learnt how to ski! ) only 1cm. Bummer.
New South Wales - Perisher Blue 15cm, Thredbo 5, Charolette Pass 20cm , Selwyn Snow Fields 10 - 15cm
>================ Coronet Peak
Recent Snow falls
|
Base
|
Top
|
|
|
13 June
|
10cm
|
15cm
|
|
16 June
|
2cm
|
5cm
|
|
26 June
|
10cm
|
15cm
|
|
03 July
|
80cm
|
1m +
|
|
08 July
|
5cm
|
10cm
|
|
12 July
|
3cm
|
Not too bad. Local supreme snow boarder Aaron Jamieson had a huge Winter Festival taking out the Boardercross, Half Pipe and coming second in the Big Air. In the Half Pipe Aaron pulled off a succession of Rodeo's and McTwists to wow the judges and the spectators alike. Early Bird Alpine Slalom this weekend.
>================ Cardrona
Recent Snow falls
|
Base
|
Top
|
|
|
13 June
|
10cm
|
|
|
14 June
|
5cm
|
|
|
26 June
|
8cm
|
|
|
03 July
|
70cm
|
1m +
|
|
08 July
|
8cm
|
|
|
12 July
|
2cm
|
Bit of snow tonight? Magic carpet is going off. 4 half pipes open - The International, Monster, Johnny Holmes and new this year the Rookie. Terrain Park open. Boardercross series starts tommorrow with a big prize of two return tickets to Canada - now that's worth getting totally Crossed on your Board. In the weekend is the K2 SnowBoard Challenge with GS, Halfpipe and Boardercross events and NZ bands Growler and Rubicon play live for the Halfpipe. Acts as a NZ Nationals Qualifier ( 7 - 10 September ). Go Greg Prouse!
>================ Treble Cone
Recent Snow falls
|
Base
|
Top
|
|
|
13 June
|
5cm
|
15 - 20cm
|
|
26 June
|
5cm
|
12cm
|
|
03 July
|
65cm
|
1m +
|
|
08 July
|
5cm
|
|
|
12 July
|
7cm
|
Bit of snow in the forecast. 35cm - 85cm base. Terrain park opening today. TC Cat club for the kids.
>================ The Remarkables
Recent Snow falls
|
Base
|
Top
|
|
|
13 June
|
10cm
|
|
|
19 June
|
6cm
|
8cm
|
|
26 June
|
10cm
|
15cm
|
|
03 July
|
1m +
|
1.2m +
|
|
08 July
|
5cm
|
8cm
|
|
12 July
|
5cm
|
Gordy went up for a skin in Wye Creek which is just over the hill from The Remarkables and reported some beautiful patches in amongst a fair bit of wind blast. Nevertheless a nice day for some touring in the back country.
Wind drifted snow off piste. Primo Terrain park open. Homeward Bound getting a bit thin at the bottom if you are going off piste and Mike from Shortland Street ( aka funny man Oliver Driver ) is up there today checking out the chutes on his short skis!
>+++ Thanks to our sponsor == Cardrona Alpine Resort
All you require for an enjoyable day out. The Rental Shop at Cardrona department has received over 200 new shaped skis, a snowboard grinder, 40 snowboards and another 500 pair boot dryer.
Tried snowboarding? Tried the latest shaped skies? Check out the Cardrona Rental Shop.
>================ Queenstown Winter Festival does it again
Two highlight events for me would have to be the Big Air at Coronet Peak and the Jazz Night at Skyline.
Coronet Peak really came to the party for the Big Air building a massive jump for those crazy enough and waiving a $10 entry fee at the last minute. Nice gesture! Boh Runga sang her heart out with Stellar for an hour as the jumps got higher and longer. An enthusiastic crowd of about 2500 watched American team Burton member Jason Borgsted pull a perfect fakie 360 back flip to take first with locals Aaron Jamieson and Denni Bevan 2nd and 3rd respectively. Impressive stuff guys and gals.
And the Jazz night offered a great selection of Jazz music in a nice venue with heaps of happy people! Wot more could you ask for? Vince Jones one of Australia's biggest jazz starsz ( so they say ? ) led his five piece band led the pack with Strategic Dance Initiative and Mark de Clive-Lowe other stars. Only complaint was the lights were too bright!
See you next year at the Queenstown Winter Festival.
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>================ Contact Details
Evan Bloomfield fx +64 3 442 8342
PO Box 2125
Queenstown 9197
AOTEAROA
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