Hardly any past Winter Olympic host cities will have the snow to host in 60 years

By Clarisa Diaz and Elizabeth Miller

Rain, wet snow, and shallow snow are all expected to increase at former Olympic venues over the coming decades, according to a new study led by researchers from the University of Waterloo. It projects that nearly all prior host cities for the Olympics will see weather conditions that make it difficult to hold outdoor winter sports competitions. The culprit is greenhouse gas emissions and the resulting climate change.

By the 2050s—eight Games from now—that change will hit many European host cities famous for these winter sports, like Chamonix, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Grenoble, Innsbruck, St. Moritz, and Turin. That prediction remains even if emissions targets set in the Paris Climate Agreement are met.

The study surveyed hundreds of coaches and athletes to determine optimal conditions for the Olympic Games. 

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