Skiers may be in for a bumper start to the ski season in just over a week, with a wintry blast bringing snowfalls to three of Australia's southern states.
Up to 15cm of snow has fallen across the Victorian high country, the second dusting in 10 days.
The falls come just over a week before the official start of the ski season on the Queen's Birthday long weekend and are set to continue into next week.
Mount Buller spokeswoman Amber Gardner said last year was one of the worst seasons in decades and locals were banking on a turnaround.
"I think everyone's really excited, it's really nice to see snow after such poor falls last year.
"We had really fierce winds of 177km/h yesterday ... it went from fierce winds into rain, into snow and we woke up and we've had 10cm and it was really beautiful."
The highest dumpings were at Falls Creek and Mount Hotham, where 15cm of snow fell.
Five cm falls were recorded at Lake Mountain, Mount Stirling, Mount St Gwinear and Mount Buffalo.
Snow was expected to continue falling into the weekend and even the Dandenongs, on Melbourne's eastern fringe, could get a light dusting.
"It's possible, there's quite cold air coming across," Bureau of Meteorology duty forecaster Geoff Feren said.
Mr Feren said the falls would intensify on Thursday and a second cold front would arrive by the weekend with even more snow.
Up to 15cm of snow on the upper slopes of the Snowy Mountains and forecasts of sporadic flurries until Monday were good news for NSW skiers.
The Bureau of Meteorology has predicted more good snow falls on Thursday night and they would continue until Monday.
"It looks pretty good, there's snow on the forecast on and off right through, probably until next Monday," meteorologist Sean Carson said.
"Probably the main thing to say is, looking at the opening of the season on June 9, there should be some skiing," he said.
Thredbo spokeswoman Suzie Diver said she was optimistic there would be skiing at the resort for the opening day of the season.
"It's getting very cold, which is great news, so we can supplement the natural snowfalls with our snow-making system," Ms Diver said.
"We are quietly confident we will be able to ski and board on the long weekend. Obviously we won't have the whole mountain open."
Tasmania's Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) forecaster Tim Bolden said a low pressure system to the state's south had sent temperatures plummeting with snow falling to 800 metres on Mount Wellington, near Hobart.
The mercury hovered around nine degrees celsius in Hobart on Wednesday.
The average May temperature in Tasmania is 14.4 degrees celsius.
Another cold front was expected overnight, ahead of the official start of winter on Friday.
"There will be a little bit of warming before the front hits, but we can expect more snow on Mount Wellington tomorrow, and further cold temperatures," Mr Bolden said.
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