Southern Hemisphere Weekly Snow Roundup #334

• Portillo passes 10m season snowfall to date mark and staying open to 11 October.
• New Zealand’s iconic Treble Cone ski area ends season but other NZ area open to late October.
• All ski areas in Australia have now closed for 2026.

Introduction

Fresh snowfall started the week in New Zealand, adding new cover across the country’s ski areas and giving Treble Cone a powder day as it closed its 2026 season on Monday. It is the first major resort to finish, with others scheduled to close over the next several weekends. Mostly clear weather followed the snowfall, offering good conditions before spring temperatures introduced some thawing.

In South America, Argentina’s season is also drawing to a close. Las Leñas has shut after a brief extension, and most of the nation’s ski centres have now ended operations, and mixed precipitation has persisted. In Chile, snowfall has continued despite rising temperatures. Portillo has surpassed the 10‑metre seasonal total, while several areas have closed or will finish this weekend. Others plan to operate into mid‑month.

All ski areas are now closed for the 2026 season in Australia and Southern Africa.

New Zealand Report

The snow keeps falling on New Zealand’s ski slopes with 10-30cm (4-12”) accumulations to start the week, and Treble Cone announced it had enjoyed a powder day for its season closing day on Monday. It’s really the first of the country’s big-name areas to end its 2026 season, but the rest are set to follow over the next three, possibly four weekends, with Coronet Peak (40/90cm / 16/26”) next up this Sunday. After the snowfall, there were a few clear days for most in the first half of this week to enjoy it, although with spring temperatures coming into play too, there’s some thawing. Cardrona (80/112cm / 32/45”), where the season still has nearly three weeks left to run, is still fully open with the most terrain in the country. Mt Hutt (110/190cm / 44/76”) with the country’s deepest snow, is at 90%.

New Zealand Forecast

Cold conditions are forecast to continue across New Zealand’s ski regions this week, with upper‑mountain temperatures frequently dropping well below freezing and only modest daytime warming. The South Island’s Canterbury and Otago ranges see a mix of clear spells and passing snow showers, with occasional sleet or rain at lower elevations as spring temperatures rise. The North Island’s slopes follow a similar pattern, staying cold at altitude but fluctuating more at base level.

Argentina Report

Argentina’s season is also winding down, with another of the southern hemisphere’s most iconic resorts, Las Leñas, amongst those closing in the past few days, despite a season extension and more fresh snowfall over the past week. In fact, most Argentinian ski areas have now ended their seasons, the main exceptions Catedral (50/80cm / 20/32”), the continent’s largest area by uplift, which has extended its season to the 12th and Cerro Castor (10/80cm / 4/32”), the most southerly ski area on earth. Temperatures continue to dip a few degrees below freezing overnight on high terrain, but base temperatures are getting well into double figures above freezing in the daytime as springtime continues to take hold. Rain, sleet and snow showers have continued through the past week.

Argentina Forecast

Cold conditions are expected to persist across Argentina’s mountains for the week ahead, with most ski areas seeing sub‑zero temperatures on upper slopes and only modest daytime warming at mid‑mountain. Sunny spells will break through at times, but the pattern remains unsettled, with recurring rain, sleet and snow showers moving across the Andes. Higher elevations stay cold enough for regular snowfall, while lower bases fluctuate between chilly mornings and milder afternoons. Mixed precipitation is likely through the week, keeping surfaces variable.

Chile Report

We may be well into springtime in the Andes, but the snow has kept falling this past week, with Portillo (130/260cm / 52/104”), pictured above, posting 55 cm (22”) over the past week, taking its seasonal total past the 10m (400”) mark. At the same time, though, daytime highs are on a natural upward trajectory and the end of the season gets inevitably closer. Antillanca closed at the weekend, joining Nevados de Chillán, and two more centres, El Colorado (50/140cm / 20/56”) and Pillán – Villarrica (30/40cm / 12/16”), are expected to end their seasons this coming weekend. However, besides Portillo, which has extended its season to the 11th, several other centres, including Valle Nevado (90/180cm / 36/72”), are aiming to go as late as the 18th. Base depths are still climbing at Corralco (140/495cm / 52/198”), which has by far the deepest base in the world at present and is currently staying open to the 11th.

Chile Forecast

Cold conditions persist across Chile’s Andean regions this week, with upper‑mountain temperatures frequently dropping below freezing and only limited daytime warming. Central Andes zones can expect a mix of sunshine and unsettled spells, with periodic rain, sleet and snow showers moving through. Further south, moisture levels are higher, and snowfall is more frequent, especially at altitude where conditions stay consistently wintry. Northern Andean areas see more breaks of clear weather but still face passing snow showers as systems track along the range.