Richard's Report - Friday, 19 August 2016 12:51:47 PM

Another Mixed Bag

The past couple of days have presented quite a mixed bag of weather and conditions. Yesterday (Thursday) was sunny and clear with typical spring-like conditions of an overnight freeze quickly softening in the sunshine. The off piste, when it softened, turned a tad sticky, whilst the firmer sections remained fast.

After coffee, I dragged Marion around the resort to areas she hadn't skied in quite a while. On our way we saw some aerial action off Antons T-bar. It was a good call because the winds of today would have prevented anything aerial. Conditions overall were OK and with the sun softening conditions were better than I had expected.

Overnight the wind got above 100kph and Kosi chair started the day on wind hold and remains that way. Being first chair up Snowgums is no boast. Butch and I had a pleasant run down Supertrail and Sundowner to a queue-less Gunbarrel chair. After a run down High Noon we hit the T-bars where the snow was already soft in the warm air temperature. The wind chill was around -15C and the horizontal machine gun-like ice bullets at the top of Sponars kept most of the queue on Antons.

After coffee in Black Sallees I decided I didn't really need any further dermabrasion treatment being provided for free on Sponars.

Grooming has been a challenge - or at least it looks like it has.

Meadows snow depth yesterday (Thursday)
Meadows snow depth yesterday (Thursday)

Grooming deep on World Cup and pushing the snow to the side
Grooming deep on World Cup and pushing the snow to the side

Looking north from Karels
Looking north from Karels

Big air event off Antons
Big air event off Antons

How quickly body and shadow come back together
How quickly body and shadow come back together

The flags show how strong the wind was even yesterday
The flags show how strong the wind was even yesterday

Marion at Merritts where there is still a good cover
Marion at Merritts where there is still a good cover

Where the groomers have been spending their time<BR>all for just a single day of competition
Where the groomers have been spending their time
all for just a single day of competition

Conrod to Eagles Nest today - Kosi, Basin and Karels closed<BR>Lower World Cup closed - there's a pattern emerging in Thredbo
Conrod to Eagles Nest today - Kosi, Basin and Karels closed
Lower World Cup closed - there's a pattern emerging in Thredbo

And this is the scene from my balcony as I write this report
And this is the scene from my balcony as I write this report

The cover is quite thin. Many/most of the lower runs are closed due to lack of snow. There hasn't been any snow making in a while.

We don't need any rain with this front and we do need considerable snow. The exposed rock and grass areas on the lower slopes are absorbing the warm sunny rays and probably won't hold any new snow cover unless it is significant. The giant hair dryer effect is stripping the upper levels. Of course I keep reminding myself that stranger things have happened and so live in hope of a return to winter conditions.

May be there will be some good news over the next few days?

There are dark clouds over the top of the resort but visibility is OK. The wind is currently gusting around 100kph and the wind chill sits at -15C up top whilst it is quite warm in the village.

Disclaimer: 
The views and opinions expressed on this page are my own personal observations and in no way represent the views or opinions of the resort or any other person.

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