Winter has arrived just in the nick of time to spare Australia's snow resorts a grim start to the ski season.
Days before opening weekend, with green hills still visible on snow cams across Australia's alpine hot spots, a storm rolling in over the high country and delivering the goods has deposited up to 25cm of white stuff on the grassy slopes.
More a dusting than a thick blanket, it won't get the powder hounds salivating but it has provided enough for the major resorts and their snow-making arsenal to get the ball rolling on season 2026.
Importantly, low temperatures on the back of the storm will provide five days of solid snowmaking, says Thredbo resort general manager Stuart Diver.
Following above-average snowfall in 2025, consumer confidence is high and forward sales are strong, he says.
"So we're pretty confident it's going to be a good season."
However the Bureau of Meteorology's long-range forecast is less promising.
A brewing El Nino in the Pacific Ocean could spell above-average temperatures and below-average precipitation; not a recipe for deep dumps of powder.
But Mr Diver says the bureau predicted similar conditions last year and it ended up an amazing season.
Pete "The Frog" Taylor runs Snowatch.com.au and is regarded by many in the industry as the best long-range snowcaster in the country.
He says an El Nino isn't necessarily a bad thing because it can mean fewer rain bands raiding from the north and flushing away snow cover.
Coverage should still be pretty decent up high but lower altitude resorts like Selwyn in NSW and Victoria's Baw Baw will probably suffer a bit, Mr Taylor estimates.
En Nino could also bring cool, clear nights that are ideal for creating artificial snow.
Australian resorts have pumped massive amounts of capital into snowmaking infrastructure in recent years as the industry attempts to future-proof against climate change and the prospect of dwindling natural snow cover.
Thredbo was investing millions of dollars a year into its snowmaking system, including an all-weather snowmaking unit on beginner area Friday Flat.
"Without snow, we don't have an industry, so it's hugely important to us," Mr Diver says.
"We are in a good spot to make sure that the industry is sustainable for decades to come."
There's a lot of money at stake in the industry's long-term survival.
According to a report by peak body Snow Resorts Australia, the industry generates $5.71 billion in economic output each year and supports more than 22,000 jobs nationally.
Mr Taylor says doomsday forecasts that there would be almost no snow in Australia by 2020 were "ridiculous" but it is true that the altitude at which snow is falling is creeping higher over the years.
"They say with climate change we're going to get more intense systems. That includes snow as well, so the dumps could be bigger," he offers.
"So it's not so dire. We'll still get snow, that's going to be around for quite a long time yet."
Nonetheless, resorts are still looking to diversify their offerings beyond skiing and boarding to attract visitors year-round.
Thredbo opened a $10 million alpine coaster in 2024, which Mr Diver says has been generating about 150,000 visits a year to the area.
"We have a massive summer trade with mountain biking, which we're continuing to develop, and hiking," he adds.
"It's got to be multi-pronged, you just can't rely on one thing."
In winter too, wrap-around offerings beyond skiing and boarding are increasingly important.
The traditional Kings' birthday long weekend offers limited opportunities on the slopes, with just one lift running at Thredbo, Mt Buller and Perisher.
Off the slopes, music festivals, fireworks and face-painting have become staples of opening weekend to draw the punters in.
With blue skies and light winds forecast above the freshly fallen snow, the weekend is looking to be a cracker, Mr Taylor says.
Further down the track, a strong system due to blow in around June 19-21 shows good potential for a decent dump to get the season going.
But with single-day lift tickets approaching $300 at some resorts and an uncertain snowfall outlook, many skiers and boarders will be asking themselves whether its still worth the trouble.
