South America’s snow forecast favors the central Andes, where an ongoing storm delivers its strongest remaining snowfall Thursday evening before easing Friday. Valle Nevado, El Colorado, and La Parva lead the accumulation outlook, while Portillo and Las Leñas receive smaller additions. Farther south, modest showers give way to a largely dry, mild pattern. The clearest forecast detail covers Thursday, October 8, through early Saturday, October 10; additional central Andean waves remain possible afterward.
The central Andean storm continues Thursday night, with colder air improving snow quality before precipitation tapers Friday. All five models support this continuation, although their snowfall amounts vary considerably. Expect another 17-22 cm at Valle Nevado, with slightly smaller additions at El Colorado and La Parva. Snow levels around 2,100-2,200 meters Thursday evening fall toward 1,800-2,000 meters Friday morning, comfortably below these three resorts’ bases. Forecast temperatures around -6°C to -1°C favor moderate-density snow becoming lighter in the colder hours, with better preservation at higher elevations. Gusts generally remain below 35 km/h through Friday. Valle Nevado and La Parva report operating lifts, but La Parva’s interconnection is closed; Portillo reports only limited lift operation, so fresh snow does not imply broad terrain access. See the Valle mountain report, La Parva lift report, and Portillo operations report. Las Leñas’ expected 9-11 cm is mountain accumulation after its September 28 season closure, confirmed in the official season notice.
Friday’s southern showers offer a small, elevation-dependent refresh rather than a substantial regional storm. Nevados de Chillán receives 3-4 cm at the forecast elevation, with snow levels near 1,900-2,000 meters leaving its lower mountain exposed to rain or mixed precipitation. Temperatures near freezing early, then above freezing, favor dense snow and limited preservation. Its mountain report shows all lifts closed. Chapelco and Cerro Catedral have only minor accumulation potential, and Corralco has little meaningful snowfall. Cerro Castor stays dry and mild, with Friday gusts near 55 km/h making exposed terrain uncomfortable; its season ended October 4 according to the official season information.
After the early Saturday lull, further central Andean snow showers are plausible through the weekend and into Tuesday, but their strength and timing are less dependable. Most models bring additional precipitation to the Santiago mountains and Portillo, while disagreement grows over how much moisture reaches Las Leñas. A warmer weekend phase would make lower-elevation snow denser and more vulnerable to settling, followed by a possible colder refresh early next week. Southern Chile and northern Patagonia generally favor drier, milder weather, with daytime softening more likely than substantial new snow. The central Andes remain the best area to watch, but later waves do not yet justify firm snowfall commitments.
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South America Snow Forecast Resort Totals (Thu Oct 08 – Sat Oct 10)
- Valle Nevado – 17-22 cm
- El Colorado – 16-20 cm
- La Parva – 16-19 cm
- Las Leñas – 9-11 cm
- Portillo – 6-7 cm
- Nevados de Chillán – 3-4 cm
- Chapelco – 1 cm
- Cerro Catedral – 0-1 cm
- Corralco – 0 cm
- Cerro Castor – 0 cm