Australia Ski Season to Begin Early
Recent cold and snow will allow a major Australian ski resort to begin its winter season ahead of schedule.
The Australian's website reports that the Perisher resort will open one of its slopes on Friday, May 20. The resort's "official" start of season would be on June 11.
The intended early opening would follow on the heels of nearly two weeks of below-normal temperatures augmented by mountain snowfall. The operators were able to have a "successful round" of snowmaking last week, the Australian stated.
According to weather data accessed by AccuWeather.com, average temperatures for the first half of May were 2 to 4 degrees F below normal.
NASA Worldwind image.
Perisher is located high in the Snowy Mountains of southeastern Australia. The larger Australian Alps, of which the Snowies are part, play host to a number of ski resorts in the states of Victoria and New South Wales.
Southern winters, which are offset by six months versus their Northern Hemisphere counterpart, yield a bounty of snow to these mountains. Resorts operate at elevations between 5,500 and 7,000 feet, where freezing nights are the rule and natural snow depths often exceed 1 meter, or 3 feet.
Normally, ski season in the Australian Alps begins in June and lasts until September or early October.
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Daily U.S. Extremes
past 24 hours
| Extreme | Location | |
|---|---|---|
| High | 107° | Death Valley, CA |
| Low | 28° | Daniel, WY |
| Precip | 2.39" | Alexandria, MN |
WeatherWhys®
People need to pay close attention to the UV index during this time of year. On a sunny day late in the spring and into the summer, the UV is usually at least an 8, which is very high. Readings over 11 are considered extreme values in which only 10 minutes of full exposure to the sun will produce a sunburn.
This Day In Weather History
New Hampshire (1814)
A tornado crossed Merrimac, Litchfield, Londonderry and North Chester. The same storm produced hailstones that had an 11-inch circumference and weighed 1/2 pound.
Northeast (1989)
More rain in an already wet month. Monthly totals topped 11 inches at New York City, 9 inches at Bridgeport, Conn., and 8 inches at Baltimore (all three totals set records for May).
Rough Weather
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