We’ve got first hand reports from Las Leñas, Ski Arpa (Chile), Bariloche, and Portillo. The mountains to the north (Las Leñas, Santiago area, Portillo) have been getting high winds and high temps the past few days. Bariloche is also pretty wind blasted, hard, and warm. So, nowhere is great right this second, but the forecast looks good. Is the Santa Rosa finally coming? Hope so. The forecast looks best for Bariloche with 40 cms on the way. All other spots are expecting about 15 cms.
– Snowpack mid-mountain: 210 cms
– Snowfall mid-mountain last 12hrs: 10 cms
– Current Conditions: Windy, cloudy, and nasty as new storm rolls in. 40 cms forecasted for next 6 days. Santa Rosa?
Catedral webcam from top of mountain, August 26, 2011 at 2pm local time.
Las Leñas
– Snowpack at base: 1 m
– Snowpack mid-mountain: 1.1 m
– Snowpack on summit: 1.5 m
– Current Conditions: Wind packed and cooked snow that is no refrozen and crappy. Backcountry off Marte closed as of two days ago and still closed. 17 cm of snow forecasted in next 3 days and then a temperature spike.
Las Lenas’ webcam photo from August 26th, 2011 at 12:00 local time.
Valle Nevado (Santiago Area)
– Snowpack: 50 cm
– Total season snowfall: 285 cm
– Snowfall in past 24 hrs: 0 cm
– Snowfall in past 48 hrs: 0 cm
– Current Conditions from nearby Ski Arpa from John Parker:
“A few aspects at the top are wind affected but honestly, wind buff creates some of my favorite conditions. The sun and wind have effected the lower mountain over the last few days. A few melt freeze cycles have developed a crust layer and some variable conditions on the lower 1000 feet or so of skiable terrain but that still leaves ample zones with 2,000 ft of vert to get after.” -August 24th, 2011
– 11 cms forecasted for next 3 days then high temps.
Valle Nevado webcam August 26th, 2011 at 2pm local time.
Portillo
– Total snowfall this season: 443 cms
– Snowpack at hotel: 120 cms
– Snowfall last 7 days: 0 cms
– Snowfall last 24 hrs: 0 cms
– Current Conditions from Andrew Marshall:
“Socked in/flat light and icey. Temps dropped a good 10 degrees or more in about 10 mins time when the clouds rolled in.” -August 24th, 2011.
– 18cm forecasted in next 3 days then HIGH temps.
August 22nd, 2011, portillo. photo: greg fitzsimmons.
