More Huge Snowfalls in South America

Whilst recently opened ski areas in Australia and New Zealand struggle for snow cover, across the Pacific resorts in Argentina and Chile are reporting more huge snowfalls, with some receiving over a metre (nearly 4 feet) in 24 hours.

The latest falls in the Andes and other mountainous parts of the region are just the latest in what has now been months of cold and snowy weather which means some centres have already seen over 3m (10 feet) of snowfall a week before the season was due to begin, next weekend.  It means its already had more snowfall a week before the season begins than it has received in total in some recent poor snowfall seasons.  Because of all the snowfall though, most resorts in the region have open anything between two and five weeks early for the season.

Among the latest beneficiaries, Portillo in Chile reports it has had 113 cm (just under four feet) of snowfall in the last 24 hours, taking its season total to date to 313 cm (10.5 feet). The resort is currently opening long weekends, Friday to Sundays, but will open daily from next weekend, the official season start.

There have been similar huge snowfalls reported by other ski areas in Chile and Argentina. Valle Nevado and La Parva, which form one of the continent’s largest ski regions, have posted over 1.5 metres (five feet) totals over the past few days.