Weather & Snow Report

Excellent - Complete snow cover with no exposed hazards.

Very Good - Complete cover of snow with occasional exposed hazards that do not impede skiing.  The surface is dry or softening late in the day.

Good – Almost complete cover.  Some exposed hazards that rarely impede skiing. The surface may vary from dry to soft.

Fair – Cover is extensive but not complete.  There may be moderately sized exposed hazards including grass/vegetation, which are easily avoidable.  Cover will most likely be soft and thin in areas.

Poor – Cover is broken and skiers are very limited in choice of lines.  There may be exposed grass areas if the run is open.  Cover is soft and thin; snow will most likely be brown in places.

Patchy – Insufficient cover for skiing and boarding. Only suitable for snowplay if the run is accessible. May involve a short walk from car park area. 

No Snow – no snow

Fresh - Fresh snow newly fallen. Ranges from very heavy and wet, to very light and dry.

Dry - Light, fluffy snow. Powder-like.

Powder - Extremely light, dry, fluffy snow, providing no support to skis and snowboards.

Soft - Yielding to pressure from skis and snowboards. Snow could be sun-affected.

Packed - Fresh, packed snow.

Firm - Hard packed snow where the skis do not dig in much but the edges hold well

Firm or hard packed - In the transition stage to icy. Sharp edges help.

Icy - Clear and very hard. (May also include granular icy cover especially when describing the manmade snow after a night with a good freeze).

Softening - Transition from firm to soft snow.

Wet - Wet snow that is often heavy and slows sliding on skis or a snowboard.

Spring - Rough, icy, granular surface in the morning, then softens due to warm weather by mid-morning to soft and granular. (Depending on how warm, may become sticky and very soft during the afternoon, then icing up again in the late afternoon. Can be very good skiing in the late morning and early afternoon).

Our team at Mt Buller tell it straight.  If the weather is a bit damp or the cover is variable, we'll say so.

The snow conditions and depth information is measured and reported daily by the Ski Patrol.  They take their responsibility to give accurate information seriously.  The snow reporting team then get that update live and online as quickly as possible so guests can plan their day.

The information in the snow reports is the information we'd share with friends and family.

The language in snow reports is consistent and we use terminology agreed by the Australian Ski Areas Association and describes:  

• Snow cover (how much snow we have to ski or board on)
• Snow surface (what type of snow we ski or board on)

Mt Buller keeps investing in live webcams so you can check the conditions and look at any time of day. 

To ensure transparency and build trust with guests, Australian Ski Areas Association members have agreed consistent reporting definitions.  Mt Buller follows these guidelines so we talk about snow consistently.  

• Snow cover (how much snow we have to ski or board on)
• Snow surface (what type of snow we ski or board on)

This language is used in the same way across all resorts so conditions can be compared.

Conditions are rated daily and independently assessed by the Ski Patrol along with measured depths at three sites around the mountain.

Often there are variable conditions. For example cover may be fair in one area but very good on snowmaking areas.

In general, these terms provide a much more reliable indication of the snow conditions than measured snow depths which are taken in three undisturbed locations away from ski runs.

Meteorologists use weather models to make forecasts and it's not an exact science - they can't collect data from the future!  Mt Buller works closely with Jane's Weather to produce a tailored forecast and report for our unique alpine location.  Check the weather report to see predictions in hourly increments, and specific to lower, village and summit altitudes. 

Mt Buller has fast-changing weather patterns due to being a mountain that emerges from a low valley and rapidly climbs to 1805m at the summit.  It's challenging to get forecasts completely accurate so use the information as a guide, and plan for the unexpected! 

Being aware of changes in the weather is smart when you are in the mountains. Look for rapidly growing puffy clouds (cumulonimbus) which signal storms may be brewing. Take notice of changes in the wind direction and strength and check the forecast for indications of changes on the way such as cold fronts. 

If, on a Declared Adverse Weather Day, insufficient lifts are operating to allow guests to enjoy a maximum of five (5) rides a determination will be made (usually by 1pm) and guests are invited to apply for a replacement day ticket. All the fine print about the policy is here.