New Zealand Forecast – Another Big Load of Snow for Canterbury Friday & Saturday
Published early Wednesday, 25th June 2025
We’ve just had a couple of stunners here in Kiwi-land, but on Wednesday and early Thursday, a strong front will move up the South Island, bringing warm, severe gale-force northwest winds, and a monsoon bucket load of rain. It’ll be ugly and the snowpack will take a hammering!
Fortunately, temperatures will come tumbling back down during Friday and Saturday while a low-pressure system crosses the North Island. Canterbury will once again be targeted for the umpteenth time, with steady snowfall dumping between 30 and 70 cm across the ski fields, with Mt Hutt well placed to maximise this. The Southern Lakes, on the other hand, will only receive a light dusting, but the snow guns should get plenty of opportunity to make up some of the shortfall.
Wednesday 25th June
Not a great day to be up on the slopes, as crazy strong northwest winds will likely reach severe gale in exposed areas and limit lift operations. Mt Hutt has already made a call to not open for the day.
Scattered rain will also spread over from the west during the morning, before building into heavy falls over the Southern Lakes at night, and in Canterbury overnight. Damage to the snowpack could be significant, unfortunately.
Thursday 26th June
Rain clears the Southern Lakes around dawn, and then Canterbury around midday, as strong-gale northwest winds start to ease. Clouds will then disperse, leaving mostly sunny skies for the rest of the day.
Friday 27th June
Rain develops in Canterbury before dawn, but it’ll gradually turn to snow during the morning as colder southerlies push in. The snow will fall steadily for the rest of the day with limited visibility.
The Southern Lakes should also see some light snowfalls or flurries at times, but mostly it’ll just be clagged in with cloud pushing hard up against the slopes by an easterly breeze.
Saturday 28th June
In Canterbury, light snowfall clears the Mackenzie Basin in the morning, and heavier, steadier snowfall further north clears in the evening as strong south to southwest winds start to ease.
Cloud over the Southern Lakes will gradually break up to mainly clear skies. South to southeast breezes.
Sunday 29th June
Nice, sunny skies across the South Island as a southwest breeze clocks around to the northwest.
Extended Forecast
A weak cold front will give most South Island ski fields a light dusting of snow early Monday, and provide a couple of solid days of good snowmaking conditions for the Southern Lakes, who will be needing it.
Some models are then picking another decent snowfall event mid to late next week, between around Thursday 3rd and Saturday 5th July. So keep an eye on these dates, and cross your fingers.
That’s all from me today, folks. I’m sending out these forecasts every Monday, Wednesday and Friday throughout the season. Have a great couple of days, and I’ll see you back here on Friday.=
Grasshopper
