Otago
New Zealand
Cardrona
Natural snow at mid-mountain (1,765 m) is reliably skiable from 1 Aug to 15 Oct. At the peak of the season the village at 1,670 m is snow-sure (100% of days) and the summit averages 20 cm of fresh snow per fortnight.
Month by month
April to May
Natural snow at mid-mountain reached 30 cm on fewer than 5% of days.
June
Unreliable for natural snow. Mid-mountain reached 30 cm on 12% of days.
July
Unreliable for natural snow. Mid-mountain reached 30 cm on 34% of days. The summit averages 45 cm of new snow in the month.
August
Snow-sure. Mid-mountain (1,765 m) had 30 cm or more of natural snow on 96% of days, with a typical depth of 46 cm. The worst of the eleven seasons managed 33%. Snow usually reaches the village too (90% of days). The summit averages 37 cm of new snow in the month.
September
Snow-sure. Mid-mountain (1,765 m) had 30 cm or more of natural snow on 100% of days, with a typical depth of 58 cm. The worst of the eleven seasons managed 100%. Snow usually reaches the village too (99% of days). The summit averages 36 cm of new snow in the month.
October
Usually skiable. Mid-mountain had 30 cm or more on 82% of days, typically 46 cm deep. In the worst of the eleven seasons there was none. The summit averages 30 cm of new snow in the month.
November
Unreliable for natural snow. Mid-mountain reached 30 cm on 17% of days.
December to March
Natural snow at mid-mountain reached 30 cm on fewer than 5% of days.
Questions
When is the best time to ski Cardrona?
For natural snow, 1 Aug to 15 Oct. In that window mid-mountain (1,765 m) had 30 cm or more of natural snow on at least 90% of days across eleven seasons. September is the most reliable month.
Is there snow at Cardrona in June?
Rarely, as natural snow. In June, mid-mountain had 30 cm or more on 12% of days over eleven seasons. Early-season skiing here depends on snowmaking, which this model leaves out.
Does the snow reach the village at Cardrona?
At its most reliable, in September, the village at 1,670 m had 30 cm or more of natural snow on 99% of days. You can usually ski back to the village.
How high is Cardrona?
The modelled village is at 1,670 m, mid-mountain at 1,765 m and the summit at 1,860 m. The ski area itself spans 1,266 m to 1,865 m.
Is snow at Cardrona getting more or less reliable?
Over the eleven seasons modelled, snow-sure days have gone up by about 5 per decade. Eleven seasons is too short to separate a climate trend from year-to-year swings.
What is the nearest airport to Cardrona?
Queenstown (ZQN) is about 23 km away in a straight line. Wanaka (WKA) is 29 km away. Road distances are longer.