South America
Chile
Portillo
Natural snow at mid-mountain (2,945 m) rarely reaches a reliable 30 cm; the best odds are 16–31 Aug, at 76% of days. At the peak of the season the village at 2,580 m is unreliable (25% of days) and the summit averages 49 cm of fresh snow per fortnight.
Month by month
April
Natural snow at mid-mountain reached 30 cm on fewer than 5% of days.
May
Unreliable for natural snow. Mid-mountain reached 30 cm on 6% of days.
June
Unreliable for natural snow. Mid-mountain reached 30 cm on 40% of days. The summit averages 115 cm of new snow in the month.
July
Usually skiable. Mid-mountain had 30 cm or more on 76% of days, typically 50 cm deep. In the worst of the eleven seasons there was none. The summit averages 69 cm of new snow in the month.
August
Usually skiable. Mid-mountain had 30 cm or more on 72% of days, typically 64 cm deep. In the worst of the eleven seasons there was none. The summit averages 79 cm of new snow in the month.
September
Usually skiable. Mid-mountain had 30 cm or more on 64% of days, typically 47 cm deep. In the worst of the eleven seasons there was none. The village is usually bare. The summit averages 56 cm of new snow in the month.
October
Unreliable for natural snow. Mid-mountain reached 30 cm on 42% of days. The summit averages 35 cm of new snow in the month.
November to March
Natural snow at mid-mountain reached 30 cm on fewer than 5% of days.
Questions
When is the best time to ski Portillo?
Natural snow at Portillo rarely builds a reliable base. The best odds are 16–31 Aug, and July is the most reliable month at 76% of days. Most skiing here relies on snowmaking, which this model does not include.
Is there snow at Portillo in June?
In June, mid-mountain had 30 cm or more of natural snow on 40% of days over eleven seasons, typically 28 cm deep. One or more seasons had none at all.
Does the snow reach the village at Portillo?
At its most reliable, in July, the village at 2,580 m had 30 cm or more of natural snow on 30% of days. Expect to ride a lift down at the end of the day.
How high is Portillo?
The modelled village is at 2,580 m, mid-mountain at 2,945 m and the summit at 3,310 m. The ski area itself spans 2,578 m to 3,346 m.
Is snow at Portillo getting more or less reliable?
Over the eleven seasons modelled, snow-sure days have gone up by about 22 per decade. Eleven seasons is too short to separate a climate trend from year-to-year swings.
What is the nearest airport to Portillo?
Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez (SCL) is about 87 km away in a straight line. Governor Francisco Gabrielli (MDZ) is 125 km away. Road distances are longer.