Queenstown, New Zealand – After being placed on a weather hold last weekend, snowmaking temperatures have returned to New Zealand’s Southern Alps, allowing Coronet Peak ski area to resume night operations this weekend.

It’s been unusually warm for much of this winter season on New Zealand’s South Island, frequently curtailing snowmaking operations, but with cold temperatures dominating the forecast over the coming week Coronet Peak’s snowmaking department has been in full swing, allowing night skiing and riding to resume at the resort this Friday.

“It’s been great to see a return to more normal conditions this week.  Temperatures have come down again and we have been able to get the snow guns on,” said Coronet Peak Ski Area Manager Hamish McCrostie. “We have good coverage on all the main trails and our snowmaking and grooming teams are doing a fantastic job making trail surface conditions top notch.”

“In the right conditions we can produce great coverage on the main trails in 12 hours,” boasts Pete Deuart, Head of Snowmaking at Coronet Peak. “All we need is cold temperatures. Even a two to three hour window of snowmaking dramatically improves the skiing and riding.”

Night skiing operates every Friday and Saturday night from 4 p.m. until 9 p.m. at Coronet Peak, conditions permitting.