What do you do in a ski resort with no snow?
With the mild winters hitting many of the world's ski resorts (including Australia) "making" snow has become a resorts desperate last attempt to attract skiers. Snow making isn't easy and it definitely isn't cheap. To make snow, water is shot out as a fine spray through a cannon in freezing cold weather, but that on it's own isn't sufficient. You also need something for the ice crystals to form onto (as they can't crystallize in thin air). In nature, they grow on specks of salt or dust floating in the atmosphere. But strangely enough, the best thing for artificial snow is special bacteria grown for the snow. They're harmless, but the snow they create isn't fantastic - it tends to be lumpy and it's expensive to make, but for the hard-pressed ski resorts it's better than nothing.
All Australian Ski Resorts now have snow making capabilities. Unfortunately in recent years they have been used more often than not. I predict 2002 will be the year the snow makers can sit idle all winter! (or is this just wishful thinking?)
If you have any comments or questions on this article please e-mail me at Gungahlin Weather Centre.
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