A rare winter storm has dumped extraordinary amounts of snow across the Chilean Andes. Portillo has recorded the highest total, with the ski resort now reporting more than 4.80 metres of fresh snow over the past few days. Access roads are closed, while the lifts are buried in snow and remain out of operation. Several other resorts in the region have also been affected, including La Parva, Valle Nevado and El Colorado. While summer is delivering perfect bikini weather here, the Southern Hemisphere is in the depths of winter.
Portillo Records the Highest Snowfall Total
Portillo has been hit hardest by the storm in the Andes. On 23 July 2026, the Chilean ski resort reported more than 480 cm of fresh snow since the spell of severe weather began almost ten days earlier. This included 466 cm over the previous seven days and a further 33 cm in the last 24 hours. By comparison, only around 45 cm of fresh snow had fallen in Portillo between the start of the ski season in early June and the arrival of the storm.
Heavy snowstorms lasting several days are not unheard of in the Andes, but they usually bring only one to two metres of fresh snow. The intensity of the current storm is exceptional. For the resort, this means closed access roads, suspended lift operations and extensive safety measures on the slopes. It will take some time before conditions return to normal. However, an improvement in the weather is already in sight, with the snowfall beginning to ease.
Here are some impressive images recently shared by Portillo ski resort on Facebook:
It is important to note that the reported amount of fresh snow is not the same as the measured snow depth on the ground. Wind, settling and different measurement times can cause the figures to vary significantly. Portillo’s current measured snow depth is therefore “only” 270 cm rather than close to five metres.
Schneehöhen
Several Ski Resorts in Chile and Argentina Affected
The storm has swept across large parts of the central Andes. In Chile, La Parva, El Colorado, Ski Arpa, Chapa Verde and Nevados de Chillán have all reported exceptional snowfall in addition to Portillo. Some of these resorts received between two and almost four metres of fresh snow. However, many have since been able to reopen at least some of their lifts.
On the Argentine side of the Andes, Las Leñas and Los Puquios have been particularly affected, although snowfall totals there have been considerably lower than in Chile. The impact has extended well beyond the ski resorts, bringing mountain passes in the border region to a standstill. Hundreds of tourists and truck drivers were temporarily stranded at elevations of around 3,000 metres, where more than one metre of snow had accumulated on the roads.
A Winter Storm with Wider Implications
The storm demonstrates just how quickly snow conditions can change in the central Andes. Following a subdued start to the season, the sudden change in weather delivered massive amounts of snow within a very short period, presenting the ski resorts with major operational challenges. While the snowfall is encouraging news for skiers and the season ahead, it also poses immediate safety risks due to the increased avalanche danger, closed access routes and restricted lift operations.
