SnowBrains Forecast: Up to 20 cm More for South America’s Central Andes

South America’s snow forecast favors another central Andes refresh Monday night into Tuesday morning, with Valle Nevado offering the clearest opportunity to combine fresh snow with operating lifts. The ongoing storm turns colder before tapering, while the southern mountains remain dry and mild. A warmer break follows, with less certain precipitation chances returning around the weekend.

The central Andes storm continues Monday evening, delivers its heaviest remaining snowfall overnight, and tapers Tuesday morning. Compared with Saturday’s outlook, the main snowfall arrived later and now finishes sooner, without the previously expected early Wednesday tail. Guidance strongly agrees on the overnight focus, although accumulation and snow levels retain meaningful spread. Valle Nevado should receive another 14-17 cm from Monday evening onward. Snow levels fall from around 2,600 meters toward 1,800 to 2,100 meters Tuesday morning, reducing the early rain or wet-snow risk on lower terrain. Temperatures drop to around -5°C to -7°C at the central Chilean forecast elevations near dawn. Initially dense snow becomes more moderate overnight, with a lighter final dusting favored at Valle Nevado.

Tuesday morning offers the freshest conditions before a mostly dry, warmer stretch develops through the middle of the week. Valle Nevado’s Monday mountain report lists five lifts and twelve trails open, with skiing ending at 4 pm. La Parva’s limited extension covers Friday through Sunday, with its next scheduled operating days October 30 through November 1; El Colorado’s announced extension ended Sunday, October 25. Portillo’s operations report and Las Leñas’ closing announcement confirm that their seasons have finished, so their snowfall totals describe mountain accumulation after closure. Daytime thawing should increasingly settle exposed new snow from Wednesday onward, with higher shaded terrain offering better preservation.

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The southern mountains favor dry, mild weather through the working week, followed by a cooler and windier turn around Saturday and Sunday. Nevados de Chillán, Corralco, Chapelco, Cerro Catedral, and Cerro Castor have no meaningful near-term refresh, and temperatures generally remain above freezing at their forecast elevations. Renewed showers become plausible in the central Andes around Saturday, October 31, and Sunday, November 1, ahead of a potentially more organized early November pulse. Nevados de Chillán could also benefit then, but substantial spread in timing, intensity, and snow levels keeps specific snowfall commitments premature. Support for widespread accumulating snow farther south remains mixed.

South America Snow Forecast Resort Totals (Mon Oct 26 – Tue Oct 27)

Valle Nevado – 14-17 cm
El Colorado – 13-16 cm
La Parva – 12-15 cm
Portillo – 9-11 cm
Las Leñas – 3-4 cm
Chapelco – 0 cm
Corralco – 0 cm
Nevados de Chillán – 0 cm
Cerro Catedral – 0 cm
Cerro Castor – 0 cm

SnowBrains Forecast: Up to 20 cm More for South America’s Central Andes

South America Snow Forecast Resort Totals (Mon Oct 26 – Tue Oct 27)

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