NEWRY — Sunday River made the first snow of the ski season Saturday morning.

A release from the resort with a photo said the effort was to  “prepare for the winter and test out snowmaking equipment.”

The resort purchased 75 Boyne Low-Energy fan guns that allow more snow to be made at marginal temperatures while using less energy, the release stated. Air temperatures early Saturday in the region were in the low- to mid-20s, according to resort spokesperson Darcy Liberty.

The resort made snow at its South Ridge area, starting at about 4 a.m., near the Chondola lift. The release declared the test a success and stated the resort was now ready for the snowmaking season, and would begin making regular snow once a stretch of consistently cold temperatures are forecasted.

“Last winter we tested snowmaking on Oct.19 and were the first resort on the East Coast to open for a second year in a row on Halloween,” Brent Larson, the mountain manager for Sunday River, said in a written statement. “The fact that we’re still in September and seeing cold enough weather puts us in a better then ever position to offer great early season conditions.”

The Sunday River ski resort in Newry made snow with a low-energy fan gun early Saturday.