Interesting El Nino story from www.yourwellness.com

“WHILE Panama’s Pacific coast braces itself for extra heavy downloads of rain, courtesy of El Niño, the folks in the Chilean Andes are delighted because the extra dumping come as snow.

Yes, that white stuff that sends some 750,000 Canadians and Americans scampering south in search of the sun during the northern winter, sends a smaller ban of a different kind of snowbird even further south to extend the skiing season, and this year it promises to be even longer
Valle Nevado, in Chile Chile’s premiere ski resort, opened two weeks early on Friday June 13 due to heavy early snowfall..

While El Niño weather patterns have forecast favorable weather conditions for the central Andes this year, the amount of snow received in the past few weeks has already exceeded expectations, and promises an even better season than previously rumored.

Earlier this year Valle Nevado has some added incentives for visitors as Chile joined the U.S. visa waiver program and the $160 reciprocity fee for U.S. visitors has been lifted, making air travel to Chile more convenient and affordable.

In addition, Valle Nevado just became one of the very first southern hemisphere members of the Mountain Collective Pass, joining the ranks of legendary resorts Alta Snowbird, Aspen/Snowmass, Jackson Hole, Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows, Whistler/Blackcomb and Mammoth Mountain. U.S.

Mountain Collective pass holders for 2014-15 receive 2 free lift tickets during Valle Nevado’s 2014 season, and “top-tier” pass holders from member resorts receive 50% off lift tickets for up to 7 days.”