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https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/jul/21/australian-ski-resorts-smash-july-climate-records-with-temperatures-12c-above-average>
"Alpine ski resorts in New South Wales and Victoria saw climate records
shattered at the weekend with maximum temperatures up to 12C above average.
Ski areas of Mount Hotham and Falls Creek set July records for their hottest
daytime and night-time temperatures and Thredbo also set a new hottest July
day, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
The records come after a challenging start for Australia’s ski season with dry
and warm temperatures seeing only sporadic falls of natural snow in many alpine
areas, leaving resorts to rely mostly on snow-making technology.
The El Niño now in place in the tropical Pacific and the bureau’s long-range
forecast both pointed to generally drier and warmer conditions for alpine
regions this winter – a “bad combination” for snow.
Climate scientists have long warned that global heating will create difficult
conditions for Australia’s ski resorts.
Angus Hines, a senior forecaster at the bureau, said a slow-moving high
pressure system – characterised by clear skies and descending dry air – had
been a key to the spiking temperatures.
He said this had also caused a “temperature inversion” where it was cooler
closer to sea level than it was at higher altitudes.
“These temperatures were a substantial departure from the norm and even from
previous bursts of heat for July,” he said.
“This highlights the likely issues we will have with ski seasons into the
future with a warming climate.”
He said warmer than usual temperatures would remain in ski areas until about
Wednesday and there was a chance of a snow flurry at the weekend, before
temperatures were expected to climb again early next week."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
