SnowBrains Forecast: Weekend Snow and a Bigger Central Andes Reload for South America

South America’s snow forecast features an ongoing weekend storm followed by a stronger reload focused on the central Andes. Southern Chile gets the best near-term accumulation, while the mountains around Santiago and Portillo have the strongest signal for substantial snow next week. Dense snow, changing snow levels, and strong weekend winds will matter as much as the totals, and several ski areas have already ended their seasons.

The ongoing storm continues through Saturday, October 3, with southern snow tapering Sunday into Monday. Additional accumulation through Monday reaches 30-39 cm at Nevados de Chillán and 28-37 cm at Corralco, with smaller refreshes farther east. All five models support the weekend precipitation, although amounts vary substantially. During the wetter hours, snow levels generally sit between 1,200 and 1,800 meters across southern Chile and northern Patagonia, putting lower elevations near the rain-snow transition. Forecast-point temperatures mostly range from -3°C to 1°C, favoring dense to moderate snow rather than consistently light powder. Corralco gusts approach 90 km/h Saturday, while Catedral and Chapelco reach roughly 70-80 km/h over the weekend, encouraging wind packing on exposed terrain. Catedral remains available for skiing under its official season extension. Nevados de Chillán’s mountain report confirms its season has ended, and Chapelco’s announced season ended September 30. Farther south, Cerro Castor gets only 3-4 cm, mainly Friday night and Saturday, with snow levels around 450-550 meters. Its current operations report shows limited terrain ahead of the October 4 season closing.

Central Chile reloads Sunday and Monday, with the main accumulation expected Tuesday, October 6, into Wednesday. Every model brings substantial precipitation to the Santiago-area mountains and Portillo, making this a credible storm signal despite a wide spread in amounts and how long the heaviest snow lasts. Including the ongoing storm and this reload, Valle Nevado leads with 95-158 cm through early Saturday, October 10; La Parva, El Colorado, and Portillo also have substantial accumulation potential. Forecast-point temperatures remain mostly between -7°C and -1°C across those mountains, supporting moderate-density snow and better preservation at higher elevations. Snow levels rise toward roughly 2,200-2,400 meters during the main precipitation, but warmer solutions push the transition higher, particularly affecting the lower elevations at El Colorado and Portillo. Confidence is stronger in the Tuesday-Wednesday storm core than in the precise amounts or trailing showers. Valle Nevado’s current mountain report confirms operating lifts and terrain, while Portillo advertises an extension through October 11. Las Leñas also receives mountain snow from this system, but its ski season ended September 28. Another round reaches Nevados de Chillán with higher snow levels and denser snow than the weekend storm; the extent of a reload farther south remains much less consistent.

The central Andes storm eases Thursday and Friday, with lingering light snow fading early Saturday. The totals below cover additional snowfall from Friday afternoon, October 2, through that taper, including accumulation at ski areas that have closed. Northern Patagonia generally becomes milder and quieter after Monday, although some models retain additional showers. Another central Andes disturbance is possible later Saturday into the following week, but its strength and placement remain too uncertain for useful snowfall commitments. The clearest skiing-weather priorities are the windy southern refresh this weekend and the larger central Andes accumulation next week.

South America Snow Forecast Resort Totals (Fri Oct 02 – Sat Oct 10)

• Valle Nevado – 95-158 cm
• El Colorado – 84-139 cm
• La Parva – 79-131 cm
• Portillo – 79-127 cm
• Nevados de Chillán – 44-62 cm
• Las Leñas – 34-56 cm
• Corralco – 28-37 cm
• Cerro Catedral – 16-22 cm
• Chapelco – 13-17 cm
• Cerro Castor – 3-4 cm