This summer ski destination in the Andes isn’t getting enough snow | CNN

The classic postcard images of the Chilean capital of Santiago surrounded by the snow-covered Andes in winter now seem like pictures from the past. A yearslong drought that has plagued the country has led to a shortage of snow so severe that the main ski resorts in the metropolitan area have had to suspend the use of up to 90% of their slopes, according to the Chilean Ski Resorts Association (ACESKI). And with climate change thought to be at least partially to blame, authorities warn that in the long term the region may need to find other ways to entice tourists to spend their money. This country in the southern hemisphere, where June through August are the winter months, has long been a favorite for tourists from the US who are looking for somewhere to ski during the North American summer. And that has proved profitable. In 2025 the region’s ski resorts welcomed more than 1,240,000 skiers, with a direct economic impact of US$283 million, of which US$228 million came from foreign tourists, according to ACESKI. But with a lack of snow, its reputation is at risk of melting away. “It is not normal. We are very much behind,” Arnaldo Zúñiga, meteorologist and spokesperson for Ch