Where & When Are the Best Snow Conditions in Australia & New Zealand?
3rd June 2025
Last modified on June 16th, 2025
A new survey crunches the numbers and the snow stats. With the season getting underway Down Under shortly we see which resorts come out on top.
The new Snow Conditions Index ranks the best weeks for snow conditions based on 16 years of historical weather data across Australia and New Zealand.
The research analysed snowfall and weather conditions across five major Australian resorts and seven of New Zealand’s most popular ski fields.
Key Findings:
- New Zealand’s Treble Cone ranked No. 1 on the Snow Conditions Index with a score of 95.0. Whakapapa followed in second place with a score of 69.8, while Tūroa rounded out the top three with 66.4.
- The first week of August provides the best opportunity for the most snow days and snowfall in a single week throughout the season.
- The resorts with the highest average weekly snowfall are Treble Cone (48cm), Whakapapa (36cm), and Mt Hutt (35cm).
- Mt Hutt has its best conditions in October, the only resort in the top 12 to have its prime days outside of the winter months.
Mt Hutt, New Zealand. Image © PlanetSKI
The figures have been compiled by the global ski information hub, Snow Season Central,
Image c/o Snow Season Central
Key Australian Resort Findings:
- For Australian resorts, Mt Hotham ranks highest in the chart for snow conditions in Australia, with a Snow Conditions Index Score of 57.7. Its peak occurs in the third week of August.
- Victorian resorts dominate the top rankings, with Mt Hotham, Mt Buller, and Falls Creek consistently outperforming NSW resorts like Thredbo and Perisher in snow conditions.
- The data also reveals a clear seasonal sweet spot: the third week of Augustconsistently delivers the best snow conditions across four of the five Australian resorts analysed.
PlanetSKI in Thredbo. Image © PlanetSKI
Top Australian Ski Resorts by Snow Conditions Index
Image c/o Snow Season Central
“When planning a ski trip, there’s a lot to consider, but the weather — especially snow conditions — can truly make or break the experience,” said the Managing Director of Snow Season Central, Ed Raine.
“In recent years, we’ve seen unpredictable snow patterns impact many southern hemisphere resorts.
“While snow is beyond our control, the Snow Conditions Index provides a smarter way to plan around it.
“Designed for skiers eager to hit the slopes this winter, it offers valuable insights into historical weather patterns and removes the guesswork from trip planning.”
Some resorts are opening this weekend in Australia.
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Snow is falling in New Zealand.
Methodology
Data for the average number of snowy days and weekly snowfall was sourced for each resort based on top of mountain data from snow-forecast.com based on 16 years of data collection from 2007 to 2024.
A normalised Index was then created off the back of multiplying the snowy days and average snowfall metrics to rank all 12 resorts.
About Snow Season Central
Snow Season Central is an online resource for ski resort information and job opportunities across the USA, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Australia and Europe.
The platform helps hundreds of thousands of skiers make better travel and work plans by providing up-to-date resort information and employment opportunities.
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