
How climate change will make hosting the Winter Olympics more challenging
ABC News
Hosting the Winter Olympics will be more challenging in the future.
Hosting the Winter Olympics will be more challenging in the future as global warming impacts host cities traditionally known for climates suitable for competitions such as skiing and snowboarding, according to climate scientists.
The 2026 Winter Olympics are about to kick off, but the Milano Cortina Games will take place in a much warmer world than in years past.
Average temperatures in Cortina, Italy, have risen by 6.4 degrees Fahrenheit since the region first hosted the Winter Olympics in 1956, according to a recent analysis by Climate Central. The warming trends have led to fewer freezing days and a shortage of naturally made snow.
"The number of freezing days, which is what you need to have snow, has dropped by almost 20%," Marcene Mitchell, senior vice president for climate change for the World Wildlife Fund, told ABC News.
As a result, event organizers were required to ship in 3 million cubic yards of artificial snow, despite the games taking place in the high altitudes of the Italian Alps.













