Ski Chile 2024 sputter sputter

[Casey E]

Looks like the boys at Dos Tiempos have been milking Valle Arenas

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C92SY...RlODBiNWFlZA==

Says 4 days ago.

[Casey E]

Today was hot in the 3 valleys, but the groomers continue to be superb, with dry packed powder. The off piste, flats, and north faces are suffering though, 5 weeks after the last snowfall.












Racers start to dominate this time of year.

Now it looks like August will begin auspiciously, with a bit of rain then snowy for a few days.



Same going south



A clobbering is coming around Chillan

[Casey E]

A bone-dry July for the central zone



With another atmospheric river event on the horizon (class 4-5), the sputter has become a sput sput, definitely not out yet. Maybe the July dearth will be recovered in the next week



This explains well the oddness of precipitation this year



Forecast for ASO



A chat about zonal atmospheric rivers (ZARs), orographic precipitation enhancement , an augmented risk of hydrometeorological extreme events, and other esoteric affairs

https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/15/4/406

"The extratropical west coast of South America has one of the largest frequencies of landfalling atmospheric rivers (ARs), with dozens of events per season that account for ~50% of the annual precipitation and can produce extreme rainfall events in south-central Chile. Most ARs form an acute angle with the Andes, but, in some cases, the moist stream impinges nearly perpendicular to the mountains, referred to as zonal atmospheric rivers (ZARs). Enhanced surface-based and upper-air measurements in Concepcion (36.8° S), as well as numerical simulations, were used to characterize a ZAR and a meridionally oriented AR in July 2022. They represent extremes of the broad distribution of winter storms in this region and exhibit key features that were found in a composite analysis based on larger samples of ZARs and tilted ARs. The latter is associated with an upper-level trough, broad-scale ascent, extratropical cyclone, and cold front reaching southern Chile. Instead, ZARs are associated with tropospheric-deep, strong zonal flow and a stationary front across the South Pacific, with ascent restricted upstream of the Andes. Consequently, ZARs have minimum precipitation offshore but a marked orographic precipitation enhancement and exhibit relatively warm temperatures, thus resulting in an augmented risk of hydrometeorological extreme events.
Keywords: atmospheric rivers; orographic precipitation enhancement; south-central Chile; extreme precipitation; ZAR"

[Casey E]

Meteored warning





https://www.meteored.cl/noticias/pro...-de-chile.html

[subtle plague]

Huh. Looks like a few meters in a few days...

[subtle plague]

Argh...pic
Dark purple is 250mm + im 5days.
So roughly 2-3m of snow.

[Ted26]

Planning a trip to ski Chilean volcanoes for Austral spring. On an average weather year, is October usually corn on solar aspects below 9k? Targeting a general range of Volcan Antuco to Osorno. Have pretty high flexibility on when I can go, mid October seems like the best compromise between coverage and spring conditions but would appreciate any conditions accounts from past years

[Casey E]

Planning a trip to ski Chilean volcanoes for Austral spring. On an average weather year, is October usually corn on solar aspects below 9k? Targeting a general range of Volcan Antuco to Osorno. Have pretty high flexibility on when I can go, mid October seems like the best compromise between coverage and spring conditions but would appreciate any conditions accounts from past years

Rain wind and freezing levels define the snow condition, so you will encounter a wide variety. Mostly good spring skiing.

[Casey E]

Unless you run into one of these



100km winds, trees falling, power lines down, rain at 10mm/hour, rock/landslides and our precious snowflakes piling up. Lots of trouble brewing, but I am banking on a Saturday morning pow fest in La Parva. Who’s up?

[Casey E]

“Un muerto, tres vehículos quemados y 635 mil clientes sin luz en RM: Los efectos de las fuertes lluvias y vientos
02 de Agosto de 2024 | 07:16 |
El Aeropuerto de Santiago suspendió momentáneamente sus operaciones por vientos que superaron los 120 kilómetros por hora, pero se reanudaron los vuelos esta madrugada”

https://www.emol.com/noticias/Nacion...s-lluvias.html

[guermo]

Awesome pics and info Casey!

First visit coming this September. Flying into Santiago. Visiting Portillo first.

Realistically, with spring weather and stable weather, is it possible to drive from Portillo to Las Lenas and back to Santiago?

[Casey E]

Major disruptions in electrical grids, with 40% of clients in the municipality of the the 3 Valleys (Lo Barnechea) without electricity, many for 48 hours so far.

Cold dawn in La Parva


Only 6 lifts running, at partial capacity, and only one chair. The first destructive blast left some 30-40cm, kinda wet and wind blown, then a light snowfall overnight added another 15 or so. 50-60cm at the top, which was closed.



Being Saturday high season, a lot of people were skiing everywhere.





Still managed around 2,500m of untracked.



The earlier track was filling in by 11



Should be room for more tomorrow if the elec returns, like here

[m2711c]

looks sweet. hope they get their power back soon.

[TonyC]

is it possible to drive from Portillo to Las Lenas and back to Santiago?

Most Chilean rental cars cannot be taken across the border. You have to reserve in advance one with a special sticker, which will cost more. That info is not current (Liz tried it in 2010 at the border past Portillo and was denied) but I would certainly want to investigate in advance.

[Casey E]

Most Chilean rental cars cannot be taken across the border. You have to reserve in advance one with a special sticker, which will cost more. That info is not current (Liz tried it in 2010 at the border past Portillo and was denied) but I would certainly want to investigate in advance.

You can request the insurance when booking a rental, or later. The rest of the paperwork required https://www.chileatiende.gob.cl/fich...acia-argentina. Can do online.

[m2711c]

how hard is it to get chains for rental cars in santiago?

[byates1]

We need to raise capital for a van Casey can use and we can use when ppl head down. Trg shag wag

[m2711c]

Rental cars are pretty fucking cheap… and if they break down, you ain’t gotta fix it. They just send ya another one.


fact

[byates1]

Rental van for 3 month price please?

[m2711c]

fact.

[Casey E]

Shouldn´t take long to find camper vans, availability and quality, I dunno

https://www.campertravelchile.com/

https://yeticampers.com/

Condor campers sez



Some recent snowy scenes around the webz







Dos tiempos

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-P0T...RlODBiNWFlZA==

[Casey E]

A last hurrah for this cycle



Sin luz, de nuevo….

[Casey E]

The storm got stuck on the Andes, with an ultralight 40cm dump, until exactly 8:30am

7:30am, -7C



9:00am



And the ripping began



With the prior snowfall still soft, it was knee deep off piste, and as the packing occurred late Monday, the piste was 30-40 cm of fluff on smooth pack















La chimenea chica



Hoya de la chimenea

[Casey E]

Nevados de Chillán tips

[Casey E]

Anyone for uphill pow?