Snowfall Trends

The document details the impact of rising temperatures on winter sports, noting that all cities hosting the Winter Olympics since 1950 have warmed. It highlights that the 2026 host cities, Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, have seen significant temperature increases and a decrease in freezing days. Projections indicate a sharp decline in climate-reliable host sites by the 2050s, particularly for the Paralympic Games held in March.

• All cities that have hosted the Winter Olympics since 1950 have experienced warming, with an average increase of 4.8°F (2.7°C).
• In Cortina d’Ampezzo, February temperatures have risen by 6.4°F (3.6°C) over the 70 years since it first hosted the Games in 1956, leading to a 19% reduction in annual freezing days (a drop from 214 days in 1956-1965 to 173 days in 2016-2025).
• The number of climate-reliable host locations for the Winter Olympics is projected to drop from 87 (94%) currently to 52 (56%) by the 2050s under a mid-range warming scenario (RCP4.5 and SSP2-4.5).
• The Winter Paralympic Games face higher risks due to their March schedule; only 22 of 93 potential host cities are projected to be reliable by the 2050s, and this number could drop to four by the 2080s in a high-emissions scenario.
• Climate change is impacting specific sports: the average U.S. ski season has shortened by up to a week compared to 1960–1979, and the 2026 Olympics will require over 3 million cubic yards of artificial snow.

APA

Scott, D. (2026). Snowfall Trends. Climate Central. https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/2026-warming-winter-olympics

Chicago

Scott, Daniel. Snowfall Trends. Climate Central, 2026. https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/2026-warming-winter-olympics.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Scott |first1=Daniel |title=Snowfall Trends |publisher=Climate Central |date=21 January 2026 |url=https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/2026-warming-winter-olympics |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{scott2026snowfall, author = {Scott, Daniel}, title = {{Snowfall Trends}}, institution = {Climate Central}, year = {2026}, month = jan, url = {https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/2026-warming-winter-olympics}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }