Typical Autumnal Mountain Weather

All has quietened down since the Easter and Anzac Day holidays. School holidays end shortly and the mountains have switched to a typical mountain feel. Cool, damp and misty with heavy frosts in the morning - not the Snowy Mountains many know.

The weekly Friday snow fall, that had occurred over the past 4 Fridays, didn’t happen, and the winds earlier in the week together with the more recent drizzle has somewhat reduced the snow cover. You can still see snow on the upper slopes from the village, so barring any big shifts in weather; visitors to next weekend’s Jazz Festival will feel they are in the mountains.

Work towards winter has stepped up. Mowing the slopes and the placement of the orange plastic poles around the young plantations have been the most noticeable works over the last week. Friday Flat is a little ahead of other areas in as much that the lift towers have already been fitted with padding.

Downhill mountain biking appears to have ended, probably due to the snow and mud on the trails. Top to bottom (or reverse) walking has become more difficult with wet and icy steps requiring a delicate touch (or crampons, as keen climber suggested).

And now a little something for those experts constantly harping on about global warming. Yes, Sydney has had some record hot and dry spells but there are other patterns occurring. According to the Thredbo weather station the minimum temperature for April 2006 was 5.2C colder than the minimum in April 2005. The maximum temperature for April 2006 was 7.0C colder the maximum recorded in April 2005. Precipitation this April was almost double that of April 2005 being 94.2ml compared to 56.2ml. After such a dry summer in Thredbo, the extra moisture has been welcomed.

Not ski tracks but probably the last bike tracks near Bunny Walk

Thredbo's super mowing machine

High Noon yesterday

Little Beauty today

Ski runs mowed and the orange poles in place

Colours showing in the low level Thredbo River

Part of Thredbo's natural dried flower arrangement

Rosella fattening up on grass seeds

The 19th Yalumba Thredbo Jazz Festival is on next weekend (May 5-7). Lots of fun to be had and then only 4 weeks to the official opening of the snow season.

Make sure to at least read about the proposed sale of Snowy Hydro and then hopefully you will join us in registering your online protest against the sale. Click here.