SnowBrains Forecast: Up to 1 Meter for South America through Tuesday

The South America snow forecast keeps an ongoing, multi-wave winter storm in control through early Tuesday. Central Chile and the northern Andes get the quickest payoff through Friday, while the focus shifts toward Patagonia from Friday through Monday. Snow levels generally favor upper-mountain snow, but some Patagonia bases will see denser or mixed phases. Confidence is strongest from Wednesday, August 26 through Tuesday morning, September 1, when timing aligns better than exact intensity. Corralco carries the largest published range at 73-114 cm.

The first pulse is already underway at every resort except Cerro Castor, which stays outside the main band. The models converge on Wednesday-Thursday timing, falling snow levels, and wind capable of causing lift holds, but split on whether the core favors Las Leñas and Portillo or central Chile. Snow levels begin near 2,000-2,600 meters in the high Andes, then fall toward 1,000-1,700 meters by Friday, keeping precipitation as snow through most lift-served elevations. Early SLRs near 9-13 support moderate to dense snow before rising toward 13-17 as colder air arrives. Exposed ridges can gust 50-80 km/h, although peak strength remains uncertain.

A second pulse crosses Patagonia and the south-central Andes from Friday through Monday, with the strongest periods likely Friday night into Saturday and again Sunday into Monday. The models converge on repeated snowfall and snow levels near resort bases at Corralco, Nevados de Chillán, Cerro Catedral, and Chapelco, but diverge substantially on intensity, the northern extent of the Sunday-Monday reload, and peak wind. Snow levels mostly fluctuate between 1,000 and 1,800 meters during precipitation. That favors upper slopes, while lower Chapelco and Cerro Catedral can turn wet or mixed. SLRs of 6-11 point to dense, supportive snow. Gusts commonly reach 50-90 km/h in exposed Patagonia terrain, with isolated guidance near 120 km/h at Corralco. At publication time, Portillo was limited to hotel guests, Nevados de Chillán had three lifts open, and Corralco reported five of eight available, with upper lifts on hold.

A quieter transition Tuesday separates the ongoing sequence from a colder Wednesday-Thursday wave. The models converge on that later timing for Corralco and Nevados de Chillán, but diverge on intensity, snow levels, and wind, so exact resort totals aren’t warranted yet. A conservative upper-mountain ballpark is another 20-50 cm for the favored south-central Chilean terrain, while lighter snow is more likely elsewhere. Snow levels could fall below resort bases in the colder solutions or remain closer to mid-mountain in warmer guidance. Most forecasts taper the wave Friday, leaving a quieter finish into Saturday, September 5.

South America Snow Forecast Resort Totals (Wed Aug 26 – Tue Sep 01)

• Corralco – 73-114 cm
• Nevados de Chillán – 59-93 cm
• Cerro Catedral – 62-92 cm
• Valle Nevado – 61-87 cm
• Portillo – 58-82 cm
• El Colorado – 54-76 cm
• La Parva – 51-72 cm
• Las Leñas – 39-53 cm
• Chapelco – 34-50 cm
• Cerro Castor – 2-4 cm