📷 Broken River
Oceania
Broken River
Limited
→stable
Scroll for happiness
Last Snowfall
Aug 18
3d agoPast 24 Hours
0cm
Past 48 Hours
0cm
Past 10 Days
4.9cm
14-Day Forecast
44.8cm
Snow Depth
--
Powder Days
6
2026 season
Bluebird Days
2
2026 season
Overview
Broken River is a ski resort in Oceania, New Zealand. Today's SnowSure™ Score is 14/100 (Limited), 5 cm (2 in) of snow in the last 7 days. The 14-day ensemble forecast across seven weather models (ECMWF, GFS, GEM, JMA, ICON, Météo-France, Met Norway) calls for ~45 cm (17.7 in) of new snow. Conditions last updated 2026-08-21 15:02 UTC.
Resort Guide
Broken River is a club ski field located in the Craigieburn Range of New Zealand’s South Island, offering a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere with a focus on authentic alpine experiences. The resort features over 300 hectares of varied terrain, accessed by a unique system of rope tows, and is known for its powder snow, off-piste opportunities, and minimal crowds. Key amenities include on-mountain accommodation, communal lodges, and a social environment that encourages interaction among guests. Broken River stands out for its backcountry feel, friendly community, and emphasis on traditional skiing and snowboarding experiences.
Gallery
Click to expand • 10 total photos
Terrain & lifts
Resort-reported stats for Broken River
Lifts
5
Skiable area
1831.1 ac
Runs by difficulty(25 total)
Beginner
3
10% of terrain
Intermediate
10
40% of terrain
Advanced
12
50% of terrain
Run counts estimated from resort-reported totals and terrain mix.
Lift fleet
- Surface lift5
Resort Info
Season dates
Future dates are operator estimates and may change.
Ski passes
Chill Pass
Access tiers change by season — confirm benefits on the pass operator's site.
Top Après Ski
Broken River Lodge Bar – Known for its welcoming, communal atmosphere, the lodge bar at Broken River is a favorite among skiers for its cozy alpine setting, craft beers, and lively après-ski gatherings that often feature local stories and camaraderie by the fire.
Limited conditions.
Currently, Broken River has received 4cm of snow over the past week, contributing to a season total of 79cm. With temperatures at -2°C and overcast conditions, skiers can expect a chilly experience on the slopes. The next two weeks are looking promising with an average forecast of 45cm of additional snowfall.
AI-generated summaryDepth
No reliable depth reading available.
Recent
No new snow has fallen in the last 24 or 48 hours.
Forecast
The 14-day snow outlook suggests an average of 45cm is expected.
Historic
This season's snow total of 79cm is 64% of the 5-year average of 124cm for this time of year.
Data updated Fri, Aug 21, 03:02 PM UTC
Snow Summary
Updated Aug 21, 2026 at 3:02 PM
Historical data from Open-Meteo archive • Forecast from ECMWF IFS model
Snowfall Forecast Maps
New Zealand region
Current Conditions
Reported Fri, Aug 21, 03:02 PM UTC
Freezing Level
1486m
🌡️ Mid-mountain - mixed conditions
Base
1425m
Temp
0.4°C
Wind
14.2km/h
Snow Depth
--
Open-Meteo model
14-Day Forecast
25.6cm
Mid-Mountain
1623m
Temp
--°C
Wind
16km/h
Snow Depth
--
Open-Meteo model
14-Day Forecast
44.8cm
Summit
1820m
Temp
-2.2°C
Wind
14.2km/h
Snow Depth
--
Open-Meteo model
14-Day Forecast
46.2cm
Ops signals
- ●Fresh snow + cold temps — good grooming window next 48h
Live Conditions
Broken River Webcams
Broken River Ski Area
Broken River Ski Area
Local Reports
0 reportsDaily Snowfall Forecast by Model
Black line = verified SnowSure™ blend (not a simple average). Weights update weekly from measured snowfall at SNOTEL stations and resort reports.
SnowSure™ blend — verified model weighting
The black line is not a simple average. For Broken River (southern alps), we combine seven global weather models using weights learned from daily forecast verification — comparing each model's prediction to measured snowfall (SNOTEL, resort reports, ERA5).
- 1.Horizon buckets: days 1–3, 4–7, and 8–14 each get separate weights — short-range skill differs from long-range.
- 2.Regional calibration: weights come from verified error in this geography (Rockies, Alps, Japan, etc.), recalculated weekly.
- 3.Ground truth only: we never grade a forecast against another model — only against measured snow.
Building verification history for this resort.
How we verify forecasts →Hourly Forecast Detail
AM / PM / Night breakdown with wind and freezing level
NWP models refresh up to 4× daily · Last synced Aug 21, 3:02 PM
Sat, Aug 22 2 / -26.1cm33.1mm | Sun, Aug 23 2 / -514.7cm40.1mm | Mon, Aug 24 1 / -52.2cm3.1mm | Tue, Aug 25 1 / 09.6cm22.3mm | Wed, Aug 26 3 / -411.5cm26.7mm | Thu, Aug 27 0 / -657.8cm82.6mm | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Period | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night |
| Snow (cm) | 2.1 | 3.9 | 0.1 | 8.3 | 1.5 | 4.9 | 0 | 0.5 | 1.7 | 4.2 | 0.8 | 4.6 | 0 | 0 | 11.5 | 18.4 | 20.2 | 19.2 |
| Precip (mm) | 3 | 10.1 | 20 | 11.9 | 2.1 | 26.1 | 0 | 0.7 | 2.4 | 6 | 8.5 | 7.8 | 0.2 | 7.1 | 19.4 | 26.3 | 28.9 | 27.4 |
| Temp (°C) | -1 | 1 | 0 | -2 | -3 | -2 | -2 | 0 | -2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | -1 | -6 | -6 | -4 |
| Wind (km/h) | 15 | 19 | 14 | 25 | 18 | 15 | 11 | 15 | 13 | 17 | 18 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 6 | 3 |
| Gusts (km/h) | 66 | 82 | 62 | 101 | 84 | 74 | 48 | 61 | 57 | 71 | 82 | 69 | 46 | 36 | 43 | 27 | 44 | 32 |
14-Day Snow Forecast by Model
Summit elevation (1820m)
10-Day Forecast
Sat
22
🌧️
1.7°
-2.2°
22 km/h
Sun
23
❄️
1.7°
-4.9°
2.5cm
27 km/h
Mon
24
🌧️
0.5°
-5°
1.4cm
17 km/h
Tue
25
🌧️
1.3°
-0.5°
22 km/h
Wed
26
❄️
2.9°
-3.8°
14 km/h
Thu
27
❄️
-0.5°
-6°
61.2cm
7 km/h
Fri
28
🌧️
1.7°
-0.6°
30 km/h
Sat
29
🌧️
4.1°
-2.6°
12 km/h
Sun
30
🌧️
2.8°
-3°
21 km/h
Mon
31
☁️
4.1°
-3.6°
9 km/h
Summit elevation (1820m) • ECMWF model
Season vs Historic
Updated Fri, Aug 21, 03:02 PM UTC
79.1cm
Season Total
This Season to Date
-36%
vs 5-Year Avg
124cm avg by now
-29%
vs 30-Year Avg
111cm avg by now
124cm
5-Yr Avg by Now
This season is at 79.1 cm to date. The last completed season totaled ~79.4 cm. That's 36% below the 5-year average (124 cm). Versus the 30-year baseline: 28% below the 30-year average (111 cm).
Broken River Snow History
Average annual snowfall is 181cm with an average of 67 snowfall days per season. The table below shows monthly averages across 31 seasons of archive data (modeled snowpack at mid-elevation).
| Month | Avg Snowfall | Snowfall Days | Avg Base Depth | Max Base Depth | Biggest Snowfall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June | 34.1cm | 11 days | 10cm | 23cm | 13.1cm |
| July | 42.6cm | 14 days | 18cm | 32cm | 13cm |
| August | 36.5cm | 14 days | 19cm | 32cm | 11.5cm |
| September | 30.1cm | 12 days | 6cm | 19cm | 10.8cm |
| October | 27.7cm | 11 days | 2cm | 13cm | 11.8cm |
Source: SnowSure archive · Open-Meteo ERA5 reanalysis at mid-elevation. Depth is modeled, not resort-reported.
Season at a Glance
Current season(2026)
Opened Aug 15, 2026
Scheduled close: Oct 11, 2026
Multi-season averages will appear once SnowSure has tracked more than one full season.
ENSO seasonal analog
History · not a forecastIn 5 past El Niño winters at Broken River, ERA5 season snowfall median was 179 cm (70 in), about 1% below this resort’s long-term median. This is a historical analog from reanalysis — not a prediction of this winter’s storm track.
Prevailing ONI
El Niño
MJJ 2026 · ANOM +1.39°C
Analog season median
179 cm
5 El Niño winters · 1% below median
All-season median
180 cm
Across 30 ERA5 seasons (2026)
| Phase | Seasons | Median | p25–p75 | Recent analogs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Niñocurrent | 5 | 179 cm | 156 cm – 181 cm | 2023, 2015, 2009, 2002, 1997 |
| La Niña | 4 | 188 cm | 135 cm – 263 cm | 2022, 2010, 1999, 1998 |
| ENSO-neutral | 21 | 186 cm | 149 cm – 221 cm | 2025, 2024, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018 |
Season snowfall from Open-Meteo ERA5 reanalysis (~9 km). ENSO phase from NOAA CPC Oceanic Niño Index. Relative phase differences are more trustworthy than absolute cm totals. Source: NOAA CPC Oceanic Niño Index + Open-Meteo ERA5 via SnowSure season archive.
Best Months to Visit
August
Peak Season
July
Peak Season
September
Good
June
Good
Note: Based on typical ski season patterns for this region.
Frequently asked questions about Broken River
- Where is Broken River?
- Broken River is a ski resort in New Zealand.
- How high is Broken River?
- Broken River runs from a base elevation of 1,425 m (4,675 ft) to a summit of 1,820 m (5,971 ft), giving a vertical drop of 395 m (1,296 ft).
- How big is Broken River?
- Broken River has 1,831 acres (741 hectares) of skiable terrain, 25 marked runs and 5 lifts.
- Which ski pass covers Broken River?
- Broken River is on the Chill Pass. Access terms such as blackout dates and day limits vary by pass tier, so check the pass operator for the current season.
- When is ski season at Broken River?
- Broken River typically operates from July to October. Exact opening and closing dates shift each year with snowfall — check the resort's current season dates before booking.
- How much snow does Broken River get in a typical season?
- Broken River averages 350 inches / 889 cm of snowfall in a typical season. Any individual season can run well above or below that.
