Huge Storm Hits South America Ski Areas
18th July 2026
Last modified on July 24th, 2026
More than four meters has fallen in one resort in Chile with the storm continuing. Argentina has also seen significant snow. Up until now it had been a poor start to the season in South America. UPDATED
In Chile, the ski resorts of Ski Portillo and Valle Nevado are being battered by the storm.
Portillo claims more than 5m has fallen and Vallee Nevado has seen around 3m.
Portillo usually averages around 5m of snow across the entire winter.
Resorts are in lockdown and the storm comes after a poor early season for South America’s ski resorts.
Access roads are closed and many ski areas remain shut with high risk of avalanche.
The government has declare a state of emergency in some areas with flooding and landslides.
Roads and other transport links have been closed with some mining operations stopped.
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Here was Ski Portillo as the storm started:
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“It will likely take the highway department some time to do avy control and plow the road after it is safe to do so,” said the director of the Portillo ski school, Katie White, as the storm started.
“If there is a window of calm weather, Portillo will do everything we can to get you all up here so you can enjoy the snow!”
The ski resort of Valle Nevado, in Chile’s Tres Valles region, has also seen heavy snowfall.
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In neighbouring Argentina, Las Leñas is seeing snow with more forecast into this week.
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Here are the storm totals on Tuesday 21st July according to OpenSnow:
La Parva, Chile – 3.7m
Ski Arpa, Chile – 3.3m
Ski Portillo, Chile – 3.3m
Chapa Verde, Chile – 3m
El Colorado, Chile – 2.8m
Los Puquios, Argentina – 1.9m
Valle Nevado, Chile – 2.4m
Nevados De Chillán, Chile – 2.1m
Las Lenas, Argentina – 1.4m
We will be updating this post as the storm continues.
Do check back…
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