Climate change threatens the Winter Olympics—even snowmaking won’t save it

The following essay is reproduced with permission from The Conversation, an online publication covering the latest research.

Watching the Winter Olympics is an adrenaline rush as athletes race down snowy ski slopes, toboggan runs and ice at breakneck speed and grace.

When the first Winter Olympics were held in Chamonix, France, in 1924, all 16 events were held outdoors. Athletes relied on natural snow for ski slopes and freezing temperatures for ice rinks.

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Nearly a century later, in 2022, the world saw skiers skiing down 100% artificial snow slopes near Beijing. The luge runs and ski jumps have their own refrigeration, and four of the original events are now held indoors: figure skaters, speed skaters, curlers and hockey teams all compete in air-conditioned buildings.

Innovation made the 2022 Beijing Winter Games possible. Ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics in northern Italy, where snowfall was below average for the start of the season, authorities built large lakes near major venues to provide enough water for snowmaking. But snow has its limits in a warming climate.

As global temperatures rise, what will the Winter Games look like in another century? Will they be possible, even with innovations?

Former host cities that would be too hot

The average daytime temperature of Winter Games host cities in February has increased steadily since the first events in Chamonix, from 33 degrees Fahrenheit (0.4 Celsius) in the 1920s-1950s to 46 F (7.8 C) in the early 21st century.

In a recent study, scientists examined the sites of the past 19 Winter Olympics to see how each might withstand future climate change.

They found that by mid-century, four former host cities – Chamonix; Sochi, Russia; Grenoble, France; and Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany – would no longer have a reliable climate to host the Games, even under the United Nations’ best-case climate change scenario, which assumes the world rapidly reduces its greenhouse gas emissions. If the world continues to burn fossil fuels at a high rate, Squaw Valley, California, and Vancouver, British Columbia, would join this list of countries that no longer provide a reliable climate to host the Winter Games.

By the 2080s, scientists found, the climates of 12 of the 22 ancient sites would be too unreliable to host the outdoor events of the Winter Olympics; among them were Turin, Italy; Nagano, Japan; and Innsbruck, Austria.

In 2026, there will now be five weeks between the Winter Olympics and the Paralympics, which last until mid-March. Host countries are responsible for both events, and some venues may find it increasingly difficult to have enough snow on the ground, even with snowmaking capabilities, as snow seasons shorten.

Ideal snow conditions today require a dew point temperature – the combination of cold and humidity – of around 28 F (-2 C) or lower. Greater humidity in the air causes snow and ice to melt in colder temperatures, affecting snow on ski slopes and ice on bobsled, skeleton and luge tracks.

As Colorado snow and sustainability scientists and also avid skiers, we have observed developments and studied the climate impact on the mountains and winter sports we love.

Conditions vary by location and from year to year

The Earth’s climate will be warmer overall in the coming decades. Warmer air can mean more winter rain, especially at lower elevations. Around the world, snow covers less area. Light snowfall and warm temperatures have made the start of the 2025-26 winter season particularly challenging for Colorado ski resorts.

However, local changes vary. For example, in northern Colorado, the amount of snow has declined since the 1970s, but this decline has mostly occurred at higher elevations.

Future climate could also be wetter, which would affect snowmaking and could affect bobsleigh, luge and skeleton tracks.

Today, of the 16 sports in the Winter Games, half are affected by temperature and snow: alpine skiing, biathlon, cross-country skiing, freestyle skiing, Nordic combined, ski jumping, ski mountaineering and snowboarding. And three are affected by temperature and humidity: bobsleigh, luge and skeleton.

Technology is also evolving

Advances in technology have helped the Winter Games adapt to some of the changes that have occurred over the past century.

Hockey moved indoors, followed by skating. Luge and bobsleigh tracks were refrigerated in the 1960s. The 1980 Lake Placid Winter Games in New York used artificial snowmaking to augment natural snow on the ski slopes.

Today, indoor ski facilities allow year-round skiing. Ski Dubai, open since 2005, has five ski slopes on a hill the height of a 25-story building inside a resort attached to a shopping center.

Resorts also use snowmaking to collect and store snow. The method is not new, but due to decreasing snowfall and increasing snowmaking problems, more and more ski resorts are saving leftover snow to prepare for next winter.

But producing snow and keeping it cold requires energy and water – and both of these become problematic in a warming world. Water is becoming more scarce in certain regions. And energy, if it involves increased use of fossil fuels, contributes even more to climate change.

The International Olympic Committee recognizes that future weather will have a significant impact on the Olympic Games, both in winter and summer. It also recognizes the importance of ensuring that adaptations are sustainable.

The Winter Olympics could be limited to locations farther north, such as Calgary, Alberta, or pushed back to higher altitudes.

The Summer Games are also under climate pressure

The Summer Games also face challenges. Hot temperatures and high humidity can make competition difficult in summer, but these sports are more flexible than winter sports.

For example, moving the schedule of typical summer events to a different season can help alleviate excessive temperatures. The 2022 World Cup, normally a summer event, was held in November so Qatar could host it.

What makes the adaptation more difficult for the Winter Games is the need for snow or ice for all events.

The future depends on responses to climate change

In these uncertain times, the Olympics offer a way for the world to come together.

People are excited by sporting achievements, like that of Jean-Claude Killy who won all three alpine skiing events in 1968, and by stories of perseverance, like that of the 1988 Jamaican bobsleigh team who competed beyond all expectations.

Winter Games outdoor sports could look very different in the future. The difference will depend heavily on how countries respond to climate change.

This article was originally published on The conversation. Read the original article.