The 18 new machines from Italian firm TechnoAplin were part of a $4.4 million expansion of snow-making infrastructure.

Merlin Ski spokesman Anthony O’Shea told The Border Mail Hotham was late to invest in snow-making technology in 1998.  

“We could see how other resorts had done it and took some operational learning,” he said.

Mr O’Shea hoped the decision would benefit skiers by addressing the dependency on the weather.

“We’re going to have more terrain open for more of the season,” he said. “They don’t need to be anxious about the time they’re coming, they’ll find the snow experience much more reliable and predictable.”

Snow guns work the best in low humidity and low temperatures below zero. 

“They source air and water through a fan then it makes snow as it falls through the sky,” he said.

“It’s not really that artificial.”

Falls Creek spokesman Chris Hocking said they recieved good snowmaking conditions with temperatures nearing minus 5c.

Meanwhile, Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Rod Dickson said there was increased chances of rainfall over northern parts of Victoria in the winter outlook.

“By the time you get to the Victorian ski fields. it’s probably slightly increased chances of seeing above average precipitation through the winter months,” he said. 

“That’s basically fed by increased sea surface temperatures around much of Australia, particularly the Indian Ocean.”

The North East had a wet May but temperatures were well above average.

“We haven’t seen a lot of snowfall through May,” Mr Dickson said. 

“Although we have seen some snow from time to time, we haven’t seen temperatures consistently low enough for it to remain.”

But Mr Dickson was adamant there could be reasonable snowfall this winter conditions permitting.

“Particularly if we do get some more active fronts with a bit more moisture around as the temperatures cool off,” he said.