Chile is set to post the most ski centres of any country in the world for the last few days of May and first week of June as at least five of the country's resorts open early for their 2024 season following huge snowfalls in the Andes.
May 2024 has been one of the snowiest months in recent history in Argentina and Chile with some areas seeing more than three metres (10 feet) of snowfall from multiple storms through the month. It's also been a cold month on the whole with temperatures consistently at or below freezing for most of it.
Famous ski area Portillo posted a 1.5m (5 foot) snowfall in 72 hours on Wednesday-Friday this week.
The south American ski season is due to start around 20/21 June, but three Chilean ski areas – Corralco, Antillanca and Nevados de Chillan - have already opened early, some just at weekends but others daily. Now two more, El Colorado and la Parva, say they'll open on Friday and more may join them.
Currently the USA has the most centres still open, at nine across six states, but most of these will close after the Memorial Day public holiday on Monday, leaving only 3 or 4 open into June.