THE snow season began without snow this year but that didn’t stop the celebrations at Thredbo.

More than 2500 people travelled to the village for fireworks, entertainment and Moulin Rouge theme nights in local restaurants.

A cold change from the Southern Ocean is expected to bring widespread snow to the Snowy Mountains late Wednesday or Thursday.

After last year’s bumper start to the season — hailed as the best since 1968 — yesterday there was no skiable snow in either the NSW or Victorian ski fields.

A spokesman for the consultancy firm Weatherwatch said the season began with snow only every four or five years.

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