Mountainwatch

The Grasshopper's Australian Forecast – A Warm, Sunny End to the Week After a Wet & Soggy Start

The wet tail-end of the storm has cleared and it is sunny today:

"High pressure now moves in to settle things down for a nice, sunny end to the week. Temperatures will be positively balmy from Thursday onwards, with daytime highs getting into double digits, but it should still get cold enough for some snowmaking overnight Wednesday and Thursday, particularly in New South Wales...........

"The back half of next week, from Wednesday the 22nd of July onwards, a couple of weak storm systems are likely to brush past us, with only light upper-level snow on the cards at this stage. It’s not the forecast we’re after right now, so hopefully it doesn’t hold...."

Read the full forecast at: https://www.mountainwatch.com/grasshopper/

The Grasshopper's New Zealand Forecast – A Stormy Start to the Work Week for the South, But It’ll End Nice

Published early Monday, 13th July 2026

"A couple of fronts from the west will cross the country on Monday and Tuesday, bringing stormy conditions with a mix of rain and high-level snow while northwest winds blow a strong gale. Keep an eye on lift operations as they’ll likely be affected.

We’ll then see a cooler westerly flow with a couple more weak fronts bringing a little sprinkling of snow to the Southern Lakes and a little more high-level snow to Canterbury and Mt Ruapehu on Wednesday and Thursday, followed by fine weather."

This photo of empty chairs in Mt Hutt which is closed today due to gale force winds hitting 150km/hr!

Read the full forecast at: https://www.mountainwatch.com/grasshopper/ -zealand

The Grasshopper's Australian Forecast: More Snow Up High Before a Warm, Sunny End to the Week

Published early Monday, 13th July 2026

"It’ll be wild and woolly as the storm rages on until Tuesday night, bringing snow showers to mid and upper slopes, with another 10-30cm on the cards. Snow levels will primarily hover between 1600-1800m, making for wet and soggy conditions on the lower slopes. Keep an eye on lift ops, as these will likely be affected by strong winds out of the west-to-northwest and blizzard conditions.

"Wednesday onwards will be the time to hit it for all you fair-weather cruisers, as good ol’ high pressure moves in to settle things down for a sunny and warm end to the week."

Read the full analysis at:

https://www.mountainwatch.com/grasshopper/

The Grasshopper's forecast today with more snow on the way today after 10-20cms overnight:

"Behind the front, a strong, cold westerly flow will keep snow showers falling all the way through Tuesday, although for the most part, it’ll be wet on the lower slopes as snow levels will rise to mid elevations during the latter half of Sunday. Despite this, we could see another 10-30+cm accumulate on mid and upper slopes. Keep an eye on lift ops, as these will likely be affected by the strong winds and blizzard conditions. Wednesday and Thursday will be the days to hit it, as good ol’ high pressure moves in to settle things down........"

Read his full analysis:

https://www.mountainwatch.com/grasshopper/

The The Grasshopper's Australian Forecast – Bluebird Days Make Way for a Timely Boost to the Snowpack

"The high-pressure system, which brought a record-breaking pressure reading of 1044.5 hPa to Aussie shores earlier this week, drifts into the Tasman Sea, allowing the weather to turn more active this weekend, with a series of cold fronts moving in starting Saturday night.

We’ll cop some low- to mid-level rain with that initial front, but a cold westerly flow afterwards will bring snow showers from Sunday through Tuesday, although it’ll likely turn wet about the lower slopes at times on Monday and Tuesday.

Storm totals are likely to range from 15cm to a healthy 40cm, with the upper slopes above 1700 metres receiving significantly more than the lower slopes due to fluctuating snow levels....:

The is extended forecast is also looking interesting as the next storm window opens up from Sunday or Monday, the 19th or 20th of July.
Full detailed analysis at:

https://www.mountainwatch.com/grasshopper/