Whakapapa and Tūroa ski fields open for season on Mt Ruapehu

Mt Ruapehu's main ski fields are now open for the winter season. Photo / Supplied

Clear weather welcomed visitors to Mt Ruapehu for the opening of Whakapapa and Tūroa ski fields for the season.

Ruapehu Alpine Lifts (RAL) says almost 5000 people visited over the weekend, enjoying sightseeing on the Sky Waka, the return of the Double Happy chairlift in Happy Valley and the Alpine Meadow beginners' area at Tūroa.

The opening of these ski and snowboard areas adds to the beginners' ski area at Happy Valley, which opened a couple of weeks ago.

"It was tremendous to see the families with kids out and about over the long weekend and enjoying some beautiful conditions on the maunga, from first-timers, regular skiers, through to sightseers, there was something for everyone," RAL chief executive Jono Dean said.

"There's a likelihood of more snow on Tuesday night followed by more good snow-making conditions for the remainder of this week, which will hopefully set us up to open more terrain in time for the school holidays.

"Looking further ahead, there is snow forecast for the first Monday and Tuesday of the school holidays as well, so it's shaping up well."

Dean said the ski season would start to get busier and encouraged visitors to ski mid-week if possible, to avoid crowds.

After a warmer than usual June, temperatures in the Central North island have dropped dramatically this week.

The coldest part of the country on Monday morning was in Waiouru, which felt the bite of -11.2C shortly before 6am.

It may have been the first time temperatures have dropped that low this winter, but will possibly not be the last time, the MetService said.