NSW · 1365–2037 m
Where the wet-bulb is already below zero at a model’s grid terrain, the continuous line extends downward using a 6.5 °C/km environmental lapse-rate estimate, with the uncertainty band widened across a 4.5–8.5 °C/km range. It is useful below-terrain guidance, not a model level directly resolved there.
Dashed sections stop at the model’s grid terrain. They are upper bounds: the wet-bulb zero is somewhere at or below that height, but this view does not estimate how far below. Phase below the bound remains uncertain.
The shaded band is a heuristic uncertainty around ECMWF IFS’s snow level. Each coloured snow-level line is emphasised where that model forecasts precipitation. The selected precipitation model receives the strongest emphasis because it also supplies the primary histogram and headline; other wet model lines remain medium-weight. Phase colours and totals here are judged at Mid · 1701 m.
Model-grid SWE is ECMWF IFS’s native sf field (parameter 144),
expressed as liquid water equivalent at the model grid cell and its terrain. It is
shown as an independent comparison: it does not alter the resort-elevation wet-bulb
phase analysis and is not a settled-snow depth.
IFS 9 km surface is a separate native-resolution deterministic IFS surface sample. Its precipitation bars are intentionally unphased: this feed does not supply the pressure-level temperature/humidity profile used by the snow-level method. Native SWE is shown independently and does not alter the 25 km profile or ensemble products. Sampled cell -36.520, 148.353 · model terrain 1644 m · Sun 2 1600hrs AEST · 0600Z.
All precipitation amounts are mm liquid equivalent
These models are not on the same run. Their initialisation times differ by up to 6 h, so part of any difference you see below is lead time, not disagreement. Compare the shapes, not the hour-by-hour detail.
| Model | Model run | Total | Snow-phase | Uncertain | Rain | Snow share | State |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ECMWF IFS | Sun 2 1000hrs AEST · 0000Z · 13 h old | 25.4 mm | 14.7 mm | 10.7 mm | 0 mm | 58% | ok |
| ECMWF AIFS | Sun 2 1600hrs AEST · 0600Z · 7 h old | 13.1 mm | 5.4 mm | 4.9 mm | 2.8 mm | 41% | partial |
| GFS | Sun 2 1600hrs AEST · 0600Z · 7 h old | 11 mm | 11 mm | 0 mm | 0 mm | 100% | ok |
| ICON | Sun 2 1600hrs AEST · 0600Z · 7 h old | 9.7 mm | 4.8 mm | 4.9 mm | 0 mm | 49% | ok |
| ACCESS-G | Fri 27 Jun 2025 0400hrs AEST · 1800Z · 402 days old | 0 mm | 0 mm | 0 mm | 0 mm | — | missing |
| UKMO Global | Sun 2 1000hrs AEST · 0000Z · 13 h old | 17.6 mm | 5 mm | 10.4 mm | 2.2 mm | 28% | ok |
| JMA GSM | Sun 2 1000hrs AEST · 0000Z · 13 h old | 0.6 mm | 0.5 mm | 0.1 mm | 0 mm | 83% | partial |
This compares the latest two archived forecasts for each model using only their exact shared valid hours. Amounts are mm liquid equivalent. It shows how a forecast changed; it does not assess whether either forecast was correct.
History is still accumulating — one archived snapshot cannot show a revision yet.
History is still accumulating — one archived snapshot cannot show a revision yet.
History is still accumulating — one archived snapshot cannot show a revision yet.
History is still accumulating — one archived snapshot cannot show a revision yet.
Some of this run is missing. What is drawn is real; the gaps are gaps, not zeroes. (missing variables: wind_gusts_10m)
Some of this run is missing. What is drawn is real; the gaps are gaps, not zeroes. (missing variables: wind_gusts_10m)
This compares our dry-bulb freezing level against each model’s own published one — like against like. It checks the vertical profile the snow level is built on. It does not validate the snow level: no model here publishes a wet-bulb snow level to check against, and ECMWF IFS and AIFS publish no freezing level at all, so their profiles stand unchecked.
The snow level is interpolated between whichever pressure levels a model publishes above its own grid terrain. ECMWF IFS and AIFS publish 1000/925/850/700/600/500 hPa; GFS and ICON add 950/900/800. At an alpine grid point the 1000 and 925 hPa surfaces are underground and are discarded, which can leave an ECMWF crossing resting on the 850–700 hPa layer alone — roughly 1.5 km of vertical span. Each model’s actual bracket is stated in the primary panel’s own disclosure, and the uncertainty band widens to match.
Snow report · Webcams · Thredbo’s own pages — not forecast data