Snow in Australia

Snow in Australia is rare at sea level, but is common on the highlands of the southeast, in the states of New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and in the Australian Capital Territory. Snow has been recorded in every state and territory, though among the state capitals only Canberra, Hobart and Melbourne have recorded snow. However it is much more common in the regional areas, with the cities of Orange and Ballarat featuring annual snowfalls and populations of over 40,000 and 100,000 respectively.

Snow sports are well established in Australia's south-east and Tasmania, though climate change has substantially reduced natural snowfall and opportunities for snowmaking at Australian resorts, particularly at the lower elevations, representing a threat to the viability of Australia's ski industry.

The Antarctic oscillation (AAO) is the primary driver for snow in Australia, where a negative phase allows cold airmasses off the Roaring Forties to push further north. The El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) also play a role, though mainly in rainfall; there is a strong reduction in alpine snowfall during years of El Niño coupled with +IOD phases. Non-alpine and low-lying areas however tend to benefit from El Niño, as they are much more reliant on cold air than rainfall.