New Zealand’s challenging start to the 2026 ski season is continuing, with three of the country’s most famous ski areas near Queenstown and in the Canterbury region on the South Island announcing further opening delays as warm temperatures, rain, and strong winds continue to frustrate snowmaking efforts.
Just days after several resorts postponed their planned opening weekends to June 20, both Queenstown resorts Cardrona Alpine Resort and The Remarkables have now confirmed they will remain closed without providing a new opening date, while Mt. Hutt has pushed its anticipated opening date back to June 27. The latest setback comes as a powerful weather system moves across the South Island, bringing exactly the conditions ski areas do not want to see in June: high winds, warm temperatures, and rain.
Cardrona said its snowmaking team had enjoyed a productive week building base depths but that the incoming weather system forced another postponement. “The team’s had a solid week of snowmaking. But the forecast has thrown us a curveball,” the resort wrote in an update. “There’s a spicy weather system moving through this weekend, bringing high winds, warm temps, and rain.” The resort said it will continue evaluating conditions daily and will announce an opening date once there is greater certainty.
Nearby, The Remarkables also confirmed a further delay, citing unfavorable weather and a lack of natural snowfall. Resort management said improving snowmaking conditions and a forecast snow event later in the week offer some optimism. “The forecast is for better weather ahead which should provide good snowmaking conditions, and there is snow forecast Wednesday-Thursday,” the resort said.
Mt. Hutt, which has already postponed its opening several times this season, now lists June 27 as its target opening date. The Canterbury ski area reported just 10 hours of snowmaking before temperatures rose again and said it still requires approximately three full days of productive snowmaking to establish a sufficient base. “We really need another three full days of good snowmaking to get going,” Mt. Hutt said in its latest conditions report. The resort remains hopeful colder weather forecast for next week will finally allow crews to build the 30-centimeter base depth needed to begin operations.
The only major South Island resort currently operating is Coronet Peak, which opened at the end of last month thanks largely to aggressive snowmaking. Even there, however, the weather has been challenging. The resort closed operations today in an effort to preserve its snowpack as rain moved through the region with daytime temperatures reaching 5-8°C (41-46°F).
Meanwhile, New Zealand’s North Island ski areas are also waiting for winter to properly arrive. Both Tūroa and Whakapapa are currently scheduled to open for skiing and snowboarding on July 4. While the former interconnected resorts have benefited from slightly colder temperatures than their South Island counterparts, snow cover remains limited heading into late June. For now, Whakapapa remains open for sightseeing, snow play, and snow tubing via the Sky Waka Gondola, with both ski areas relying on a colder pattern developing over the next two weeks to build an adequate early-season base.
It is not unusual for the New Zealand ski industry to have unpredictable early-season conditions. While many North American and European resorts can rely on snowmaking or snowfarming in the early season, New Zealand’s maritime climate often makes June one of the most unreliable months of the season.
The encouraging news for Kiwi skiers and snowboarders is that colder temperatures are expected to return next week, with several resorts forecasting improved snowmaking windows and the possibility of natural snowfall.
