Snow-hungry skiers and resort operators are toasting the best start to the season in years, despite fears warmer than average forecasts for the remainder of winter could spoil the party.

A burst of cold weather allayed fears of a delayed start to the 2025 ski season as operators welcomed a dumping of snow, with up to 80 centimetres expected to fall over the King’s Birthday long weekend.

The Bureau of Meteorology’s Edward Townsend-Medlock said NSW’s alpine regions could expect very cold conditions over the weekend with a series of cold fronts expected to generate snowfalls peaking on Sunday before temperatures warm next week.

The state’s largest resorts have all benefited from the snowy onslaught. Thredbo and Perisher both opened their doors for the commencement of the season on Saturday.

Perisher Ski Resort general manager Nathan Butterworth said while “mother nature has brought the snow”, the resort has also undertaken a “mammoth run” of artificial snowmaking in preparation for the long weekend.

“We’re cautiously optimistic for a strong season ahead [and] the start of the season is exciting given the lower snow we experienced in 2024 and 2023,” he said.

Jindabyne Chamber of Commerce president Olivier Kapentanakos said, along with the snow, there was a sense of optimism after traders struggled through successive disappointing seasons.

“Cost of living is still having an impact and one thing we’re seeing is that, while people are still coming in big numbers, they’re conscious of their dollars and are bringing their own food and gear,” he said.

“Australia is the second most expensive country to ski in the world. The gear can cost $15,000 to $20,000, so people are looking at other ways of keeping costs down.”