South America’s snow forecast favors another central Andes refresh, with colder snow following a denser weekend phase. The episode highlighted Thursday is reloading after Friday’s lull, and precipitation is already underway at Portillo. Valle Nevado, El Colorado, and La Parva lead the remaining accumulation outlook, with the strongest renewed snowfall favored Monday into Tuesday. Southern Chile and Patagonia stay largely dry and mild, while late-season operating limits matter as much as the snowfall.
Saturday evening through Sunday brings intermittent central Andean precipitation with an uneven rain-snow boundary on the lower mountain. All five models support this reload, although they disagree substantially on moisture and snow levels. Around the Santiago mountains, snow levels generally sit near 2,400-2,700 meters, with warmer solutions pushing closer to 3,000 meters. Valle Nevado should retain the best snow quality, while temperatures near freezing or slightly above favor denser, wetter snow at lower elevations around La Parva and Portillo. Exposed Santiago terrain could see gusts around 35-45 km/h, with some guidance stronger, so wind can affect fresh surfaces and lift operations. Farther south, the models strongly favor dry weather at Corralco, Chapelco, Cerro Catedral, and Cerro Castor, with only a weak shower possibility at Nevados de Chillán. Above-freezing temperatures favor continued softening and settling of existing snow.
Monday’s colder reload offers the best combination of accumulation and preservation before snowfall diminishes through Wednesday night. The Santiago mountains favor renewed snowfall Monday afternoon and evening, continuing intermittently Tuesday before lighter showers Wednesday. Snow levels generally fall toward 1,800-2,400 meters during the main colder phase, although the warmer guidance keeps them higher. Valle Nevado’s forecast temperatures fall to roughly -7°C to -3°C, supporting moderate-density snow becoming lighter Monday night, while easing winds improve preservation. Expected additional accumulation from Saturday evening through early Thursday is 22-32 cm at Valle Nevado, with somewhat smaller totals at El Colorado and La Parva. Agreement supports the refresh, but the substantial spread in intensity warrants moderate confidence in amounts. Current mountain operations confirm lifts running at Valle Nevado, and La Parva’s lift report shows partial operations. Portillo also reports operating lifts, but its season notice gives Monday, October 12, as the final day, limiting access to the later snowfall. Las Leñas’ smaller accumulation is mountain snowfall after its September season closure.
After early Thursday, scattered central Andean showers remain plausible before another broader unsettled signal emerges around Sunday, October 18, and Monday, October 19. Timing and scale become much less dependable after the main refresh. Some guidance brings a more substantial central Andean wave, while other solutions offer little precipitation, so that later period remains a possibility rather than a firm snowfall commitment. Southern Chile could also receive precipitation later in October, but agreement is insufficient to promise a meaningful refresh. The useful near-term emphasis remains colder central Andean snow and preservation, with dry, springlike mountain conditions prevailing farther south.
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South America Snow Forecast Resort Totals (Sat Oct 10 – Thu Oct 15)
- Valle Nevado – 22-32 cm
- El Colorado – 19-28 cm
- La Parva – 18-26 cm
- Portillo – 16-22 cm
- Las Leñas – 6-9 cm
- Cerro Catedral – 0 cm
- Chapelco – 0 cm
- Cerro Castor – 0 cm
- Nevados de Chillán – 0 cm
- Corralco – 0 cm