Gale-force southwesterly winds resulted in the closure of the Remarkables, Cardrona Alpine Resort, and Treble Cone fields, while Mt Hutt and Mt Dobson fields in Canterbury were also affected.
The stormy weather has been bad news for lower-lying coastal areas but it has brought some of the best mountain conditions of the winter to Southern Lakes skifields as they start a 10-day countdown to the close of the season.
Wanaka skifields Treble Cone and Cardrona have received cumulative snowfalls of about 75cm and 50cm respectively during the past few days, while the Pisa Range freestyle facility Snow Park NZ recorded another fresh powder fall of about 10cm yesterday.
NZ Ski fields at Queenstown, the Remarkables and Coronet Peak have experienced cumulative snowfalls of more than half a metre this week.
Further north the Ohau field has also benefitted from the stormy weather.
Lake Wanaka Tourism general manager James Helmore said conditions at Wanaka's four ski resorts were the best of the season and had arrived in time for the start of school holidays next week.
Cardrona media liaison Nadia Ellis said the new snow had meant a return to the conditions of mid-winter, instead of the warmer spring-like conditions expected at this time.
"We've got amazing skiing all over the mountain," she said.
Treble Cone operations manager Rosco Davies said the visitors were experiencing some of the best powder days of the season.
"The cold, dry snow we've had [is] the best snow in terms of quality and quantity all season. And there's more to come in the next few days," he said.
Despite the new snow, all of the Southern Lakes skifields have indicated there will be no extension to their seasons as interest levels fall as people return to spring-orientated outdoors activities.
