Weather
Central Chile and northern Patagonia line up a concise 3-day powder window, with the heaviest, driest hits focused on Las Leñas and Nevados de Chillán while the Tres Valles resorts score a solid refresher and lower-latitude mountains pick up smaller, wetter shots. After a slow start on Tuesday, snowfall intensity peaks late Wednesday into early Thursday, then tapers with a blustery, wetter fringe wave Thursday night into Friday.
The first surge rolls in Tuesday across southern Chile and the Argentine Lakes District. Corralco, Chapelco, and Cerro Catedral see snow levels sit near 4,000-5,000 feet under gusty northwest flow, producing dense flakes with Snow-to-Liquid Ratios (SLRs) of 5-8. Totals stay modest, generally 3-4 inches, except at Las Leñas, where colder air and orographic lift quickly ramp accumulations toward 10 inches or more by Wednesday morning.
The main mid-week storm presses north on Wednesday and cranks up from the high Andes of Mendoza to the Tres Valles of Chile. Las Leñas steals the show with an additional 12 inches plus Wednesday night as temperatures drop into the mid-20s and SLRs jump to roughly 11-13, delivering light, dry powder. Farther west, Portillo, Valle Nevado, El Colorado, and La Parva cash in on 5-7 inches thanks to snow levels descending from around 8,400 feet Wednesday afternoon to near 7,200 feet by Thursday night. Winds ease through the event, so Thursday turns should offer smooth chalk up high and grippier snow on the lower groomers.
A trailing cold front sweeps through late Thursday night into Friday, sprinkling the northern Patagonian resorts with a final, wetter 1-2 inches. Corralco and Chapelco wrestle with the lowest-quality snow of the period. SLRs hover near 5 while gusts spike past 40 miles per hour, so expect heavy cream on top of a firm base. Cerro Catedral squeezes another 2-3 inches, rounding out a respectable 6-8-inch total and setting up soft turns for the weekend.
- Las Leñas – 23–33” Tue (05/06)–Fri (05/09)
- Nevados de Chillán – 17–25” Tue (05/06)–Thu Night (05/08)
- Cerro Catedral Alta Patagonia – 6–8” total (4–5” Tue (05/06)–Thu (05/08) + 2–3” Thu Night (05/08)–Fri (05/09))
- Corralco – 6–8” total (3–4” Tue (05/06)–Tue Night (05/06) + 2–3” Wed (05/07) + 1–2” Thu Night (05/08))
- Valle Nevado – 5–7” Wed (05/07)–Thu Night (05/08)
- El Colorado – 5–7” Wed (05/07)–Thu Night (05/08)
- Portillo – 4–7” Wed Night (05/07)–Thu Night (05/08)
- La Parva – 4–6” Wed (05/07)–Thu Night (05/08)
- Chapelco – 3–4” total (2–3” Tue (05/06)–Tue Night (05/06) + 1–2” Thu Night (05/08)–Fri (05/09))
