📷 Hanmer Springs
Oceania
Hanmer Springs
Solid
→stable
Scroll for happiness
Last Snowfall
Aug 19
2d agoPast 24 Hours
0cm
Past 48 Hours
0cm
Past 10 Days
15.8cm
14-Day Forecast
26.9cm
Snow Depth
2cm
Open-Meteo modelPowder Days
4
2026 season
Overview
Hanmer Springs is a ski resort in Oceania, New Zealand. Today's SnowSure™ Score is 32/100 (Solid), snow base 2 cm (0.8 in), 16 cm (6.3 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 ~27 cm (10.6 in) of new snow. Conditions last updated 2026-08-21 15:04 UTC.
Resort Guide
Hanmer Springs Ski Area is located in the South Island of New Zealand, just outside the alpine village of Hanmer Springs. The resort features a relaxed, club-style atmosphere with uncrowded slopes, offering terrain suitable for beginners through advanced skiers and snowboarders. Key amenities include on-mountain accommodation, a licensed café, and ski and snowboard hire, with the area known for its friendly environment and panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. Hanmer Springs stands out for its welcoming community vibe and accessible off-piste terrain.
Gallery
Click to expand • 7 total photos
Terrain & lifts
Resort-reported stats for Hanmer Springs
Lifts
3
Skiable area
128 ac
Longest run
1 km / 0.6 mi
Runs by difficulty(15 total)
Beginner
2
10% of terrain
Intermediate
9
60% of terrain
Advanced
4
30% of terrain
Run counts estimated from resort-reported totals and terrain mix.
Lift fleet
- Surface lift3
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
Monteith’s Brewery Bar – A popular après-ski destination in Hanmer Springs, Monteith’s Brewery Bar is renowned for its welcoming atmosphere, extensive selection of craft beers, and hearty New Zealand fare, making it a favorite spot for skiers to unwind after a day on the slopes.
Adequate snow - check forecasts before booking.
Current conditions at Hanmer Springs show a snow depth of 2cm with partly cloudy skies and a temperature of -2°C. The resort received 13cm of new snow in the past week, contributing to a season total of 98cm, which is 109% of the 5-year average for this time of year.
AI-generated summaryDepth
2cm depth — upper mountain may be better.
Recent
There has been no new snowfall in the past 24 hours, but 13cm fell over the last week.
Forecast
The 14-day snow outlook predicts an average of 27cm, with some models suggesting totals as high as 49cm.
Historic
Season-to-date snowfall of 98cm is above the 5-year average of 90cm.
Data updated Fri, Aug 21, 03:04 PM UTC
Snow Summary
Updated Aug 21, 2026 at 3:04 PM
Historical data from Open-Meteo archive • Forecast from ECMWF IFS model
Snowfall Forecast Maps
New Zealand region
Current Conditions
Reported Fri, Aug 21, 03:04 PM UTC
Depth by source
every reading we have- Open-MeteoBase 2cm · Summit 2cm
The headline depth uses the most trusted available source. We show every reading so you can judge for yourself.
Freezing Level
1397m
❄️ Below base - cold & dry snow expected
Base
1459m
Temp
-0.4°C
Wind
15.5km/h
Snow Depth
2cm
Open-Meteo model
14-Day Forecast
22.4cm
Mid-Mountain
1614m
Temp
--°C
Wind
17km/h
Snow Depth
2cm
Open-Meteo model
14-Day Forecast
26.9cm
Summit
1769m
Temp
-2.4°C
Wind
15.5km/h
Snow Depth
2cm
Open-Meteo model
14-Day Forecast
26.1cm
Ops signals
- ●Freezing level below base — snowmaking window open
- ●Fresh snow + cold temps — good grooming window next 48h
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 Hanmer Springs (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, 3:04 PM
Sat, Aug 22 3 / -46.1mm | Sun, Aug 23 3 / -48.7cm22.4mm | Mon, Aug 24 3 / -3 | Tue, Aug 25 3 / 03.2cm6.8mm | Wed, Aug 26 7 / -28cm20mm | Thu, Aug 27 -2 / -641.9cm59.9mm | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Period | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night |
| Snow (cm) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.6 | 1.9 | 2.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 2 | 0.4 | 0 | 7.6 | 13.4 | 11.3 | 17.2 |
| Precip (mm) | 0 | 0.4 | 5.7 | 6.6 | 2.7 | 13.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.1 | 2.7 | 3 | 0.7 | 1.5 | 17.8 | 19.2 | 16.1 | 24.6 |
| Temp (°C) | 0 | 3 | -1 | -1 | -3 | -1 | -1 | 2 | -1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 1 | -6 | -6 | -4 |
| Wind (km/h) | 17 | 16 | 14 | 26 | 18 | 20 | 13 | 22 | 15 | 18 | 17 | 13 | 6 | 15 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 |
| Gusts (km/h) | 71 | 65 | 60 | 105 | 88 | 83 | 54 | 76 | 65 | 65 | 72 | 62 | 49 | 43 | 48 | 24 | 49 | 29 |
14-Day Snow Forecast by Model
Summit elevation (1769m)
10-Day Forecast
Sat
22
🌧️
3.3°
-4.1°
19 km/h
Sun
23
❄️
2.5°
-3.7°
0.1cm
31 km/h
Mon
24
☁️
2.5°
-3.5°
24 km/h
Tue
25
🌧️
2.8°
0.1°
21 km/h
Wed
26
❄️
6.5°
-1.7°
18 km/h
Thu
27
❄️
-2.1°
-6.4°
49.1cm
6 km/h
Fri
28
🌧️
5°
-2.4°
25 km/h
Sat
29
🌧️
5.9°
-0.6°
14 km/h
Sun
30
☁️
4.1°
-1.4°
26 km/h
Mon
31
☁️
5.9°
-1.8°
12 km/h
Summit elevation (1769m) • ECMWF model
Season vs Historic
Updated Fri, Aug 21, 03:04 PM UTC
98.3cm
Season Total
This Season to Date
+9%
vs 5-Year Avg
90cm avg by now
+12%
vs 30-Year Avg
88cm avg by now
90cm
5-Yr Avg by Now
This season is at 98.3 cm to date. The last completed season totaled ~98.1 cm. That's 9% above the 5-year average (90 cm). Versus the 30-year baseline: 11% above the 30-year average (88 cm).
Hanmer Springs Snow History
Average annual snowfall is 133cm with an average of 49 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 | 27.3cm | 8 days | 7cm | 18cm | 11.5cm |
| July | 36.3cm | 11 days | 14cm | 27cm | 11.9cm |
| August | 26.1cm | 11 days | 13cm | 25cm | 9.5cm |
| September | 21.2cm | 8 days | 4cm | 15cm | 9.1cm |
| October | 16.2cm | 7 days | 1cm | 10cm | 7.5cm |
Source: SnowSure archive · Open-Meteo ERA5 reanalysis at mid-elevation. Depth is modeled, not resort-reported.
Season at a Glance
Current season(2026)
Opened Jun 20, 2026
Scheduled close: Sep 13, 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 Hanmer Springs, ERA5 season snowfall median was 125 cm (49 in), about 3% 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
125 cm
5 El Niño winters · 3% below median
All-season median
128 cm
Across 30 ERA5 seasons (2026)
| Phase | Seasons | Median | p25–p75 | Recent analogs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Niñocurrent | 5 | 125 cm | 121 cm – 139 cm | 2023, 2015, 2009, 2002, 1997 |
| La Niña | 4 | 145 cm | 115 cm – 169 cm | 2022, 2010, 1999, 1998 |
| ENSO-neutral | 21 | 130 cm | 112 cm – 170 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 Hanmer Springs
- Where is Hanmer Springs?
- Hanmer Springs is a ski resort in New Zealand.
- How high is Hanmer Springs?
- Hanmer Springs runs from a base elevation of 1,459 m (4,787 ft) to a summit of 1,769 m (5,804 ft), giving a vertical drop of 310 m (1,017 ft).
- How big is Hanmer Springs?
- Hanmer Springs has 128 acres (52 hectares) of skiable terrain, 15 marked runs and 3 lifts.
- Which ski pass covers Hanmer Springs?
- Hanmer Springs 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 Hanmer Springs?
- Hanmer Springs typically operates from July to September. Exact opening and closing dates shift each year with snowfall — check the resort's current season dates before booking.
- How much snow does Hanmer Springs get in a typical season?
- Hanmer Springs averages 59 inches / 150 cm of snowfall in a typical season. Any individual season can run well above or below that.
