A rainy start to the weekend is set to continue today, and school holiday skiers will be hoping for a reprieve from high winds that shut Tūroa skifield at Ruapehu on Saturday.

Although Whakapapa and Tūroa ski fields' snow forecast for the weekend was looking positive on Friday, with operators excited by the early season snow base developing across both fields, yesterday just Happy Valley was open on the Whakapapa side after high winds, rain and low visibility forced Tūroa's closure.

There is a chance the Sky Waka will be up and running at Whakapapa today, while it is 'marginal” Tūroa would be open, a spokesperson says.

Elsewhere, skifields including Mt Hutt, Coronet Peak and the Remarkables are open.

Meanwhile, persistent rain that plagued the country yesterday is expected to continue today.

There was an orange rain warning for Tairāwhiti Gisborne until 6am today, and an orange heavy rain warning for Hawke's Bay south of State Highway 5 until 6pm today.

The rest of the east coast of the North Island are under yellow heavy rain watches. Rain seen in Christchurch and Auckland yesterday is expected to ease off today. A heavy rain warning is in place for Banks Peninsula until 3pm, and Dunedin until 2pm.

Despite the disappointing start to the weekend, Ruapehu Alpine Lifts chief executive officer Jono Dean says it is shaping up to be a long season, with around 120 days of snow expected.

Ruapehu had short notice to get the ski-season under way, after a last minute lifeline from the government, which granted the operator a $5m loan in June.

Mount Hutt's open day 2023 on June 10. Photo: Supplied.

'Our opening run up was short notice to get people onto the mountain for the July school holidays, but there's another chance for families in September with the holidays falling smack bang in our optimal spring skiing period,” says Jono.

'Typically, at this time of year the maunga enjoys a consistent snow quality, with Tūroa ski field boasting New Zealand's best snow conditions during September.

'Given the terrain nuances across both sides of the maunga, it's standard practice for us to be progressively opening lifts throughout July and into August as snow conditions and weather allows, with guest safety paramount to this.”

People planning to travel to Mt Ruapehu's skifields over the coming months are strongly advised to buy passes online beforehand. There are only eight days left for snow-goers to purchase Mt Ruapehu's 2023 season passes for unlimited access to both Whakapapa and Tūroa ski areas.

Ski conditions
Mt Hutt

Open for the weekend but has received no snow in the last seven days. Due to the warmer temperatures in Canterbury they had to shut down their snowmaking machines on Saturday. So far this season Mt Hutt has had 36cm of snowfall. The beginners area is open and four out of their five lifts are operating.

Coronet Peak

Despite early season conditions Coronet Peak is open but has prepared people for icy patches that could develop on their main upper trails this weekend. The snow grooming team prepared fresh snow over the weekend for ski lovers. It's had 34cm of snow this season. All eight of their ski lifts are open and so is the beginners area.

The Remarkables is open and has chain-free roads this weekend. The ski field has warned skiers to go cautiously as Shadow Basin chair and Alta chutes are open but there is potential of thin snow coverage. In the last seven days 67cm of fresh snow and 89cm this season so far. The beginner, intermediate park and all seven of their chair lifts are open.

Cardrona

Cardona was open on Saturday with chain-free roads and four out of their seven lifts operating. Only 5cm of snow had fallen in the ski field in the last seven days. Their lift passes have sold out.

Mt Ruapehu

Only one lift was open at Mt Ruapehu on the Whakapapa side of the mountain on Saturday and that is the beginner's slope Happy Valley. Poor weather and strong winds have closed off the others. The ski field said they received great snow over the week that settled but needed more snow to open other tracks. Whakapapa had recieved 19cm of snow in the last seven days and Tūroa 25cm.

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