There's been a huge snowfall in South America, with centres reporting between 50cm and a metre of fresh snowfall over the past three days.
Chile's Portillo reported it had reached 85cm at the end of its ski day on Friday, 50cm of it in the preceding 24 hours, with snowfall continuing and yet to be added to the total overnight.
The Andes had seen snowfall levels well below average up to date and few of the famous big powder dumps like this for which its renowned, although most of Chile's larger centres had most of their terrain open already. In Argentina though only southerly Cerro Castor, the world's most southerly resort, was close to full operations, other resorts were at 50% operations or less.
Several smaller centres without snowmaking had temporarily closed, including Caviahue in Argentina's Patagonia which says it will now reopen for the season today, Saturday 23rd August, thanks to the snowfall. It's pictured above on Friday.
Chile's, Antillanca, which had postponed staging of a major international freeriding contest, says that has now been rescheduled for 6-7 September, thanks to the snowfall.
Most ski areas in South America are due to end their seasons in about a month's time in late September, however thanks to the new snowfall a number, including Cerro Castor and the continent's largest buy uplift, Cerro Catedral near Bariloche, have reported they're extending operations into October.