Buller to open for skiing after cold snap snowfall

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This was published 14 years ago

Buller to open for skiing after cold snap snowfall

By Marika Dobbin

VICTORIA'S record-breaking autumn cold snap might produce another first — skiing on the first weekend of May.

The Mount Buller alpine resort has announced it will open for limited downhill skiing this weekend, five weeks before the ski season's official opening.

The resort, which is normally bare at this time of year, has had 35 centimetres of snowfall since the weekend.

The six-seat chairlift on the Bourke Street run will be open on both days, marking the earliest opening of a lift and ski run in the resort's history.

"It's the best snow we've had this early since 1964, so it's pretty huge for us," Mt Buller spokeswoman Gillian Dobson said.

Other resorts received up to 40 centimetres, but there was no word last night on whether they would also open lifts early.

The news came as Mount Hotham recorded the coldest temperature for April in Victoria of minus 8 degrees.

Melbourne also had it's fourth consecutive April day under 15 degrees yesterday — with a top of 13.8 degrees — the first time in 60 years.

The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting a top of 17 for Melbourne today after a cold night with temperatures as low as 1 degree in some suburbs.

"We're expecting a very cold, frosty morning," senior forecaster Phil King said. "The day-time temperatures should warm up a little bit more than what we had today because the cloud will be gone."

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The bureau issued a weather warning yesterday for severe frosts and temperatures down to minus 2 degrees in parts of the western, north central, northern country, Wimmera, Mallee, central, west and south Gippsland and north-east districts.

Further cold fronts are forecast for Friday and Monday, bringing showers.

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