Copahue and the surrounding village are covered by snow, which reaches seven meters in this Neuquén paradise.
© Rio Negro/Nicolás CanterCopahue and the surrounding village are covered by snow, which reaches seven meters in this Neuquén paradise.
As the storm passed through Argentina and Chile, heavy snowfalls left international crossings closed, with walls on both sides of the route of up to 5 meters (16 1/2 ft) of snow (national 242); extreme temperatures with thermometers that have marked 23 negative degrees.

The storm in Ecuador in the Andean area of ​​Píllaro, in the center of the country and entrance to the Llanganates National Park, left a snowy surprise of up to 30 cm (12 inches).

Since the end of June, Patagonia has been punished with heavy snowfalls and severe low temperatures which make it difficult or impossible to travel between towns and cities. Asphalt or gravel roads are the basis of these accumulations of ice and snow, which in many cases are very dangerous to travel. For example, National Route 40 at night, in some sections, is closed. Route 237 that goes to Neuquén also presents a similar panorama.



One of those places is the La Hoya Ski Center, which shows a significant amount of snow on its slopes but unfortunately cannot be opened due to the pandemic.

The same at Cerro Catedral Alta Patagonia, Cerro Chapelco, Corralco or Nevados de Chillán, to give just a few examples of winter centers overflowing with snow -in some cases it reaches 7 meters- but empty, and awaiting permission from the authorities to start the 2020 ski season.


The first two ski centers with limited opening dates are Cerro Catedral Alta Patagonia (on July 21) and Chapelco on August 1.

Meanwhile, images such as the struggle of some peons in Chubut to prevent their cows and sheep from starving to death amidst the white blanket, images of rivers, lakes and streams transformed into huge mirrors of ice, or images of a man digging a tunnel under the snow to leave his home in Caviahue are difficult to remember in recent winters.


Buried to the knees they try to reach to feed the animals.
Buried to the knees trying to reach animals to feed.

Thanks to Argiris Diamantis for these links.