All Images: Courtesy of Ski Portillo
The Andes were just hit with another major snowstorm last week after almost three weeks of nonstop storms that have given many resorts historic season totals. A low-pressure system off the Chilean coast brought a major atmospheric river into the Andes. According to a video published by meteorologist Luke Stone, the storm is set to come in two waves, with lingering snow having made its way to the Southern Andes over the last few days.
Ski Portillo has reported a whopping 37 inches over the past week. That brings Portillo’s season total to about 360 inches. For reference, the resort usually averages around 200 inches per season. Resorts south of Portillo aren’t stacking up quite as high of totals with this snowstorm, but previous cycles have left them plenty happy for the rest of the season.
Resorts further south in Argentina, like Cerro Catedral, reported 20-plus inches of snow on their higher-elevation terrain. This week's snowstorm led the mountain to issue an avalanche danger rating of Level 4- HIGH on Thursday. Las Leñas, another popular ski area in Argentina, hasn’t posted an updated snow report, but the forecast reported 31 inches of new snow.
The storms have been seemingly endless at Portillo this season
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This ski season has been quite the 180 compared to last year’s season in the Andes, as many Chilean resorts had a slow start and Argentina struggled through a dry winter. But this isn't necessarily a surprise, as El Niño has officially formed in the Pacific, fueling this powder-filled season for the Andes.
While this is a skier's dream, this much snow comes with its downsides. Ski Portillo posted on its website that its roads are closed following an extended closure by the previous storm. The resorts are working hard to keep conditions safe and roads open, as Mother Nature allows. This isn't the story for all ski areas, though, as the 2026 Backcountry Invitational Argentina stop was canceled due to low snow totals in Ushuaia, the Southernmost city in the world.
As we sit in North America debating how El Niño will play out for us, I’d grab your powder skis and head down to South America. There is plenty of snow to go around for everybody and more coming–in fact, too much in some cases.
