Image: NASA MODIS satellite image of Argentina and Chile showing snow cover.
The Andes follow the border of Argentina and Chile, with both countries having ski resorts in the range, where snow regularly falls during the winter. But winter came early to both countries during the second week of May, when heavy snow fell not just in the mountains but in the plains.
Powder reports that the Patagonia region experienced its first “historical” snowfall in May of 2024.
“Bariloche, Argentina … has skipped Fall entirely and has jumped straight into Winter with four to eight feet of snow falling in the first week of May of 2024,” says Powder.
“‘This is not normal, everyone has been blown away,’” David Owen, founder and owner of Andes backcountry guiding service ‘PowderQuest’ told Powder. “‘The locals are claiming this is an historical event.’
“‘It has been snowing for nearly a week now,’” Owens continued. “‘While May always sees snow in Patagonia, the intensity of these back-to-back storms has never been seen this time of year. Patagonia is absolutely buried.’”
In neighboring Chile, Signs of the Times (SOTT) reports the same winter like weather blanketed the country’s capital, Santiago, with “rare snow.”
“[S]now hit parts of communes such as Lo Barnechea, Las Condes, Vitacura, Puente Alto, La Reina and Pirque,” SOTT wrote. “Authorities have advised locals in the Santiago Metropolitan Region to dress accordingly and drive carefully.”
Although snowfall in Santiago is not unheard of, it is rare. This particularly severe storm left more than 225,000 people without power, according to the Office of the Superintendent of Electricity and Fuels.