Comparison
Falls Creek vs Mt Hotham: which has more reliable snow?
Falls Creek or Mt Hotham? Natural snow month by month, at the village, mid-mountain and summit, from eleven winters of weather data.
Month by month
Each cell is one month: the share of days with 30 cm or more of modelled natural snow at mid-mountain over the last 11 winters, from brown (often thin) to deep blue (snow-sure). Blank means almost none.
The short answer
Neither has been reliably snow-sure in any month over the last 11 winters, but Mt Hotham has had the better odds, especially in July.
Month by month
June: Falls Creek 0 of 11, Mt Hotham 0 of 11 snow-sure winters (9% and 7% of days).
July: Falls Creek 1 of 11, Mt Hotham 1 of 11 snow-sure winters (18% and 29% of days).
August: Falls Creek 4 of 11, Mt Hotham 4 of 11 snow-sure winters (43% and 44% of days).
September: Falls Creek 1 of 11, Mt Hotham 2 of 11 snow-sure winters (27% and 25% of days).
A snow-sure winter is one where mid-mountain had 30 cm or more of modelled natural snow on at least 90% of that month’s days.
Height and terrain
Falls Creek and Mt Hotham are 18 km apart as the crow flies. Falls Creek first, then Mt Hotham: Village 1,500 m against 1,450 m; Mid-mountain 1,640 m against 1,648 m; Summit 1,780 m against 1,845 m. Mapped downhill runs: Falls Creek 40 km, Mt Hotham 36 km (OpenStreetMap).
In August, the village had 30 cm or more of natural snow on 34% of days at Falls Creek and 18% at Mt Hotham.
Questions
Which has more reliable snow, Falls Creek or Mt Hotham?
Neither has been reliably snow-sure in any month over the last 11 winters, but Mt Hotham has had the better odds, especially in July.
Which has better snow down to the village, Falls Creek or Mt Hotham?
In August, Falls Creek: its village had 30 cm or more of modelled natural snow on 34% of days, against 18%.
Does this include snowmaking?
No. These are modelled natural snow figures only, from ERA5 weather. Groomed pistes with snowmaking often ski better than this.