Comparison
Mt Buller vs Mt Hotham: which has more reliable snow?
Mt Buller 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 August and September.
Month by month
June: Mt Buller 0 of 11, Mt Hotham 0 of 11 snow-sure winters (0% and 7% of days).
July: Mt Buller 0 of 11, Mt Hotham 1 of 11 snow-sure winters (0% and 29% of days).
August: Mt Buller 0 of 11, Mt Hotham 4 of 11 snow-sure winters (10% and 44% of days).
September: Mt Buller 0 of 11, Mt Hotham 2 of 11 snow-sure winters (8% 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
Mt Buller and Mt Hotham are 64 km apart as the crow flies. Mt Buller first, then Mt Hotham: Village 1,375 m against 1,450 m; Mid-mountain 1,590 m against 1,648 m; Summit 1,805 m against 1,845 m. Mapped downhill runs: Mt Buller 47 km, Mt Hotham 36 km (OpenStreetMap).
In August, the village had 30 cm or more of natural snow on 0% of days at Mt Buller and 18% at Mt Hotham.
Questions
Which has more reliable snow, Mt Buller 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 August and September.
Which has better snow down to the village, Mt Buller or Mt Hotham?
In August, Mt Hotham: its village had 30 cm or more of modelled natural snow on 18% of days, against 0%.
Does this include snowmaking?
No. These are modelled natural snow figures only, from ERA5 weather. Groomed pistes with snowmaking often ski better than this.