Australia's snowfields experiencing poor season due to El Nino

Australia's ski resorts are suffering through one of their worst seasons on record, with most reporting little or no snow cover as they enter the second month of winter.

The last snowfall experienced by Victoria's best-known ski fields -- at Mount Buller, Falls Creek and Mount Hotham -- was nearly a fortnight ago, on June 21, and the bureau of meteorology is predicting just a single day of snowfall this week.

The weather event of El Nino has been blamed for the poor start to the snow season, which has left resorts desperate for snow. Some have resigned to relying solely on manufactured snow to entice visitors to the area.

Many Australian ski resorts are unable to open their ski runs, with Mount Buller, which last received snowfall almost a month ago on June 6, operating just one of its possible 41 runs. Only four of its ski lifts are in operation, from a possible 14.

The situation is dire at Falls Creek; only three out a possible 77 ski runs are open, purely due to an artificial snow base of 25 centimeters.

El Nino years are infamous for bringing poorer snow seasons to Australia, with only three years in the event's history resulting in above-average snowfall, while the four lowest peak snow depths in Australia's alpine region were all recorded during El Nino phases.

The southern Australian snow season usually begins in late fall and continues until early spring, however El Nino brings with it a shortened season; on average the season lasts three weeks less than a typical season.

The snowfields are under pressure to deliver snow over the next two weeks as school holidays are in effect across Victoria and New South Wales.

More than 309,000 snow-goers flocked to Victoria's Mount Buller alone last year, but without consistent snow, local businesses and the economy could also experience a dry year, with visitor numbers likely to fall in 2015. Endi