Southern Hemisphere Weekly Snow Roundup #335

• Final weekend of season approaching for the last area open for 2026 in Argentina.
• New Zealand has the most centres still operating.
• Valle Nevado set to be the only area open in the Andes after the weekend.

Southern Hemisphere Introduction

Ski conditions across the Southern Hemisphere are moving deeper into springtime, with most regions entering final operations. Only about a dozen areas will be open for a final weekend this weekend, then less than half that will continue on into next week.  New Zealand still has the greatest number of open areas, though several close this Sunday. The past week brought snow showers, windy spells and sunny, slushy afternoons, with South Island centres holding strong coverage while North Island bases thin. Argentina has mostly closed, though Catedral remains open with around half its terrain available amid mixed rain–snow conditions. Chile retains wintry temperatures, deep snowpacks and four areas still operating, though only Valle Nevado is expected to remain open beyond the weekend.

New Zealand Report

New Zealand has the most areas still open in the southern hemisphere, with six, although several of these look set to close on Sunday. The past week has seen more snow showers, some windy days and then sunny afternoons with "slushy laps" as the centres like to describe them. Mt Hutt (110/185cm / 44/74") remains close to 100% open still for its closing weekend; The Remarkables (60/180cm / 24/72”) likewise. Largest centre Cardrona (90/120cm / 36/48"), which plans to stay open another week. There's more limited terrain open and lower base depths at North Island areas, also aiming to make it to at least the 18^th.

New Zealand Forecast

It's looking mild for closing weekend and the coming weekend, with overnight lows hardly getting below freezing even up high and daytime highs at +5 to +10C. Plenty of sunshine but also rain and sleet showers in the mix. The North Island will trend drier and a few degrees colder, with a chance of snowfall rather than rain early next week.

Argentina Report

Unsettled conditions have brought a mixture of sunshine and showers across Argentinian slopes over the past week. There have been some 5- 15 cm (2-6") accumulation on high slopes, but with temperatures reaching +10C and sometimes higher at base levels and only dipping a degree or two below freezing on high slopes at night, there's also been rain and sleet. Most of the country's slopes have now closed for 2026, but the largest resort, Cerro Catedral (50/80cm / 20/32"), near Bariloche, has extended its season to this coming Sunday.  It reports just under half of its slopes still open, around 22km (14 miles) of piste.

Argentina Forecast

Catedral should continue its early spring wintry weather pattern with frequent rain–snow mix and periods of steady snowfall, keeping upper‑mountain conditions soft and cold. Temperatures sit near 5°C with high humidity and low visibility. Snow showers increase into Saturday, followed by another round of mixed precipitation Sunday. The forecast is for variable surfaces, occasional fresh snow, and ongoing unsettled weather for closing weekend.

Chile Report

Ski areas in Chile continue to report quite wintery conditions considering we're well into spring now, with overnight lows on high slopes still getting down as low as -10C overnight and daytime highs at lower elevations still only climbing a few degrees above zero. Centres have reported the full spring mix of rain, sleet and snow showers in the past week, with sunny periods in between. There are four resorts still open, but it's the final weekend coming up for three. They include Corralco (140/495cm / 52/198"), which is still posting the world's deepest base and Portillo (120/260cm / 48/104"), after it extended its season by a fortnight after it saw its heaviest snowfall in 50 years in July. It reported another 25cm (10”) over the past few days. So Valle Nevado (90/180cm / 36/72”) is thought to be the only area open in South America after the weekend.

Chile Forecast

Snowy, unsettled weather is expected to continue across Chile’s high Andes, with frequent snow showers and occasional mixed precipitation at lower elevations. Valle Nevado and La Parva stay cold, with highs around 15–19°C in Santiago but sub‑zero temperatures on the mountain, plus periodic light snow and breezy conditions. Portillo remains similarly wintry for its final weekend, with below‑freezing nights and on‑and‑off snowfall.