Perisher Valley sits at 1,720 metres above sea level, and its year turns on one thing: snow. The village is primarily a winter resort, and the Perisher Valley events calendar centres on the start of the ski season.
Below we set out what each season is like, using 1991-2020 climate averages for the Perisher area, about 1 km from the village. We also cover the Snowy Mountains of Music festival, plus the year-round side of the valley.
Perisher Valley events: the Snowy Mountains of Music
Since 2009, Perisher Valley has hosted the Snowy Mountains of Music Festival. It is a folk festival created by the same people behind the Illawarra Folk Festival.
It runs every year on the Queen's Birthday Weekend, which is also the official start of the ski season for the Snowy Mountains. The festival promotes the Australian snow season, and Perisher Valley in particular. It also gives a stage to Australian and international acts across a range of genres.
For the rest of the year, the seasons themselves are the main event.
Winter: the main season
In winter the population of about 2,500 guests dwarfs the 99 residents counted at the 2021 census. Averages bear out the cold. July has a mean maximum of 7.2 °C and a minimum of 0.5 °C, and August is much the same at 8.3 °C and 0.6 °C. June is only slightly milder, at 8.2 °C and 1.4 °C.
Snow falls on about 60 days of the year on average. Perisher's own published statistics put the natural snow line at 1,650 metres. Over the 15 years before 2012, the average maximum snow depth across the resort was about 1.9 metres, and the average winter minimum temperature was stated as -3.7 °C.
June to August are also the wettest stretch by rain days, with 12.6, 13.4 and 13.1 days respectively. Even so, sunny days average 25 to 28 a month. Treat that as a general guide only; mountain weather is changeable.
Skiing and the resort
Perisher Valley is one of four bases of Perisher Ski Resort, alongside Guthega, Blue Cow and Smiggin Holes. As of 2025 the resort has a skiable area of 1,245 hectares and 45 lifts, which makes it the largest ski resort in Australia. The highest lifted point is the Mt Perisher Six chairlift at 2,042 metres. For runs and lifts, see our page on skiing at Perisher Valley.
Spring: the thaw
Spring brings a slow warm-up. September averages 11.7 °C by day and 2.3 °C at night. October reaches 15.5 °C and 4.3 °C, and November 18.9 °C and 7.0 °C.
It is not a dry season, though. November is the wettest month of the year, with 93.1 mm over 12.2 days, and October is not far behind at 83.1 mm. The snowpack lasts for several months and sometimes lingers into early summer, although the sheltered location means it does not last as long as at similar elevations on the western side of the range.
Summer and autumn: walks and mountain history
Summers are cool. January has a mean maximum of 25.7 °C and a minimum of 11.7 °C, and February runs 24.9 °C and 11.3 °C. December sits at 22.3 °C and 9.2 °C. Rainfall in January is 72.7 mm over 10 days.
Although it is a winter village, year-round accommodation is available, including tours and bush walks. The valley lies inside Kosciuszko National Park. This was high country that Aboriginal people gathered in each summer for large intertribal feasts on the bogong moth, a practice that continued until around 1865. Later, stockmen brought cattle up for summer grazing, the era Banjo Paterson recalls in The Man From Snowy River. The graziers left mountain huts scattered across the area.
Autumn cools quickly. March averages 21.7 °C and 9.1 °C, April 16.6 °C and 5.8 °C, and May 11.8 °C and 3.2 °C. April is the driest month, at 54.0 mm.
Month-by-month climate
| Month | Max (°C) | Min (°C) | Rain (mm) | Rain days | Sunny days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 25.7 | 11.7 | 72.7 | 10.0 | 27.6 |
| February | 24.9 | 11.3 | 72.0 | 9.7 | 24.5 |
| March | 21.7 | 9.1 | 66.7 | 8.4 | 28.2 |
| April | 16.6 | 5.8 | 54.0 | 8.2 | 26.7 |
| May | 11.8 | 3.2 | 58.2 | 9.4 | 27.6 |
| June | 8.2 | 1.4 | 84.0 | 12.6 | 25.5 |
| July | 7.2 | 0.5 | 70.5 | 13.4 | 27.5 |
| August | 8.3 | 0.6 | 78.7 | 13.1 | 27.9 |
| September | 11.7 | 2.3 | 77.1 | 12.4 | 26.9 |
| October | 15.5 | 4.3 | 83.1 | 12.2 | 27.1 |
| November | 18.9 | 7.0 | 93.1 | 12.2 | 26.4 |
| December | 22.3 | 9.2 | 81.7 | 10.0 | 27.1 |
Planning a visit around the seasons
Access to the valley is by the Skitube Alpine Railway or by road. The village lies on Kosciuszko Road between Jindabyne and Charlotte Pass. Our page on getting to Perisher Valley has the detail.
For a bed, start with our Perisher Valley accommodation page. Those wanting a caravan or cabin base down the road can look at Discovery Parks - Jindabyne, which has powered sites and cabins; contact the park for current rates. Our Perisher Valley travel guide pulls the rest together, and Visit NSW, the official state tourism site, is a good place to check for further information. The background to the valley is also covered at Wikipedia: Perisher Valley.
Frequently asked questions
When does the ski season start at Perisher Valley?
The official start of the ski season in the Snowy Mountains is the Queen's Birthday Weekend, the same weekend as the Snowy Mountains of Music Festival.
What is the coldest month at Perisher Valley?
July, with an average maximum of 7.2 °C and an average minimum of 0.5 °C.
Is Perisher Valley open outside winter?
It is primarily a winter resort village, but year-round accommodation is available, including tours and bush walks.
