📷 Rainbow
Oceania
Rainbow
Fair
→stable
Scroll for happiness
Last Snowfall
Aug 19
2d agoPast 24 Hours
0cm
Past 48 Hours
0cm
Past 10 Days
2cm
14-Day Forecast
24.8cm
Snow Depth
1cm
Open-Meteo modelOverview
Rainbow is a ski resort in Oceania, New Zealand. Today's SnowSure™ Score is 24/100 (Fair), snow base 1 cm (0.4 in), 2 cm (0.8 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 ~25 cm (9.8 in) of new snow. Conditions last updated 2026-08-21 15:06 UTC.
Resort Guide
Rainbow Ski Area is located in the Nelson Lakes region of New Zealand’s South Island, offering a relaxed and family-friendly atmosphere with panoramic alpine views. The resort features a variety of terrain suitable for beginners through advanced skiers and snowboarders, including groomed trails, natural features, and a terrain park. Key amenities include equipment rentals, a licensed café, and snow sports lessons, making it accessible for both day visitors and groups. Rainbow stands out for its welcoming environment, scenic setting, and commitment to providing an enjoyable alpine experience for all ages.
Gallery
Click to expand • 6 total photos
Terrain & lifts
Resort-reported stats for Rainbow
Lifts
5
Skiable area
741 ac
Longest run
1.5 km / 0.9 mi
Runs by difficulty(15 total)
Beginner
4
25% of terrain
Intermediate
8
55% of terrain
Advanced
3
20% 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
Unable to determine top apres ski place for this resort.
Adequate snow - check forecasts before booking.
Current conditions at Rainbow are overcast with a temperature of -2°C and a snow depth of 1cm. The resort has received 2cm of snow over the past week, contributing to a season total of 111cm, which is 97% of the 5-year average for this time of year.
AI-generated summaryDepth
1cm depth — upper mountain may be better.
Recent
There has been 2cm of snowfall in the last 7 days.
Forecast
The 14-day snow outlook predicts an average of 25cm of new snow.
Historic
This season's snow total of 111cm is slightly below the 5-year average of 114cm for this date.
Data updated Fri, Aug 21, 03:06 PM UTC
Snow Summary
Updated Aug 21, 2026 at 3:06 PM
Historical data from Open-Meteo archive • Forecast from ECMWF IFS model
Snowfall Forecast Maps
New Zealand region
Current Conditions
Reported Fri, Aug 21, 03:06 PM UTC
Depth by source
every reading we have- Open-MeteoBase 1cm · Summit 1cm
The headline depth uses the most trusted available source. We show every reading so you can judge for yourself.
Freezing Level
1392m
❄️ Below base - cold & dry snow expected
Base
1438m
Temp
-0.3°C
Wind
8.9km/h
Snow Depth
1cm
Open-Meteo model
14-Day Forecast
14.7cm
Mid-Mountain
1598m
Temp
--°C
Wind
10km/h
Snow Depth
1cm
Open-Meteo model
14-Day Forecast
24.8cm
Summit
1758m
Temp
-2.4°C
Wind
8.9km/h
Snow Depth
1cm
Open-Meteo model
14-Day Forecast
23.7cm
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 Rainbow (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, 3:06 PM
Sat, Aug 22 2 / -33.8cm23mm | Sun, Aug 23 2 / -428.8cm48.3mm | Mon, Aug 24 1 / -40.5cm0.7mm | Tue, Aug 25 1 / -18.9cm12.9mm | Wed, Aug 26 4 / 04.9cm33.6mm | Thu, Aug 27 4 / -118.4cm54.5mm | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Period | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night |
| Snow (cm) | 0.6 | 3.2 | 0 | 10.4 | 5.2 | 13.2 | 0 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 2.4 | 2.9 | 3.6 | 1.5 | 0 | 3.4 | 7.4 | 9.6 | 1.4 |
| Precip (mm) | 0.9 | 4.5 | 17.6 | 14.8 | 7.4 | 26.1 | 0 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 3.5 | 4.2 | 5.2 | 8 | 8 | 17.6 | 22.3 | 13.7 | 18.5 |
| Temp (°C) | -1 | 1 | -1 | -2 | -4 | -2 | -2 | 0 | -2 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | -1 | 1 |
| Wind (km/h) | 15 | 21 | 15 | 29 | 22 | 19 | 10 | 15 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 9 | 18 | 15 | 7 | 10 | 10 |
| Gusts (km/h) | 55 | 67 | 52 | 105 | 86 | 74 | 43 | 51 | 50 | 47 | 62 | 57 | 59 | 32 | 48 | 35 | 50 | 32 |
14-Day Snow Forecast by Model
Summit elevation (1758m)
10-Day Forecast
Sat
22
🌧️
1.5°
-2.8°
23 km/h
Sun
23
❄️
1.5°
-4.5°
13.4cm
30 km/h
Mon
24
🌧️
0.6°
-4°
0.6cm
17 km/h
Tue
25
❄️
0.5°
-1.1°
7.9cm
16 km/h
Wed
26
🌧️
3.5°
0.4°
24 km/h
Thu
27
❄️
3.5°
-1.4°
1.8cm
18 km/h
Fri
28
🌧️
1.9°
-0.8°
21 km/h
Sat
29
🌧️
4.1°
1.2°
18 km/h
Sun
30
☁️
1.9°
-1.6°
17 km/h
Mon
31
☁️
7.1°
-3.4°
6 km/h
Summit elevation (1758m) • ECMWF model
Season vs Historic
Updated Fri, Aug 21, 03:06 PM UTC
110.7cm
Season Total
This Season to Date
-3%
vs 5-Year Avg
114cm avg by now
+152%
vs 30-Year Avg
44cm avg by now
114cm
5-Yr Avg by Now
This season is at 110.7 cm to date. The last completed season totaled ~110.6 cm. That's 3% below the 5-year average (114 cm). Versus the 30-year baseline: 151% above the 30-year average (44 cm).
Rainbow Snow History
Average annual snowfall is 74cm with an average of 38 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 | 15.5cm | 6 days | 5cm | 13cm | 6.4cm |
| July | 18.1cm | 8 days | 8cm | 15cm | 6.9cm |
| August | 15.2cm | 9 days | 7cm | 15cm | 5.5cm |
| September | 15.7cm | 7 days | 2cm | 10cm | 5.3cm |
| October | 7cm | 6 days | 1cm | 7cm | 3.7cm |
Source: SnowSure archive · Open-Meteo ERA5 reanalysis at mid-elevation. Depth is modeled, not resort-reported.
Season at a Glance
Current season(2026)
Opened Jul 24, 2026
Scheduled close: Sep 6, 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 Rainbow, ERA5 season snowfall median was 27 cm (11 in), about 9% 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
27 cm
5 El Niño winters · 9% below median
All-season median
30 cm
Across 30 ERA5 seasons (2026)
| Phase | Seasons | Median | p25–p75 | Recent analogs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Niñocurrent | 5 | 27 cm | 15 cm – 35 cm | 2023, 2015, 2009, 2002, 1997 |
| La Niña | 4 | 28 cm | 11 cm – 113 cm | 2022, 2010, 1999, 1998 |
| ENSO-neutral | 21 | 31 cm | 21 cm – 127 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 Rainbow
- Where is Rainbow?
- Rainbow is a ski resort in New Zealand.
- How high is Rainbow?
- Rainbow runs from a base elevation of 1,438 m (4,718 ft) to a summit of 1,758 m (5,768 ft), giving a vertical drop of 320 m (1,050 ft).
- How big is Rainbow?
- Rainbow has 741 acres (300 hectares) of skiable terrain, 15 marked runs and 5 lifts.
- Which ski pass covers Rainbow?
- Rainbow 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 Rainbow?
- Rainbow 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 Rainbow get in a typical season?
- Rainbow averages 39 inches / 99 cm of snowfall in a typical season. Any individual season can run well above or below that.
