[Olympia, London, Uk image, Photo Credit to Pixabay]

A new scientific analysis released this week finds that more than 40 former and potential Winter Olympic host cities could become too warm to reliably stage the Games by the 2050s, as rising temperatures and dwindling snowpack driven by climate change threaten the future of winter sports.

The study, published in 2024 and highlighted during the Milan Cortina Winter Games in February 2026, examined 93 past and potential Olympic and Paralympic host locations. 

Researchers evaluated whether these cities would be able to maintain temperatures at or below freezing and sustain adequate snow depth under mid century climate projections. 

Even if countries meet their current climate pledges, only 52 of the 93 locations are projected to remain suitable for hosting the Winter Olympics by the 2050s. 

For the Paralympics, typically held later in the season, just 22 sites are expected to have reliable conditions.

The findings come as organizers of the Milan Cortina Games are heavily dependent on artificial snow production across venues in the Italian Alps. 

In Cortina d’Ampezzo, which previously hosted the Winter Olympics in 1956, average February temperatures have risen by 3.6 degrees Celsius over the past 70 years. 

That increase roughly corresponds to 41 fewer days below freezing each year, according to data cited by Climate Central.

Athletes and climate scientists say the consequences are already evident. 

Olympic cross country skier Jessie Diggins has described racing in rain and on narrow strips of snow, calling climate change a direct threat to her sport. 

At the 2014 Sochi Games, unusually warm conditions were linked to higher crash and injury rates as athletes struggled with slushy, unpredictable snow.

Snowmaking has emerged as a central adaptation strategy. 

Organizers for the 2026 Games reported plans to produce nearly 2.4 million cubic meters of artificial snow, requiring approximately 250 million gallons of water. 

Snowmaking was first introduced at the 1980 Lake Placid Games and was used almost exclusively during the 2022 Beijing Olympics. 

However, experts note that snowmaking depends on cold and dry air, conditions that are becoming less reliable in many regions. 

Critics also raise concerns about the energy and water demands of large scale snow production.

Beyond the Olympics, researchers warn of broader impacts.

A 2024 study published in the journal Nature found that snowpack across much of the Northern Hemisphere has declined significantly over the past four decades, with some regions experiencing losses of 10 to 20 percent per decade. 

Scientists describe a potential snow loss cliff, where once average winter temperatures reach minus 8 degrees Celsius, snow decline accelerates rapidly even with modest additional warming.

The International Olympic Committee has acknowledged this pressing challenge. 

Starting in 2030, climate action will be a contractual requirement for host cities, and the IOC says it is developing a more flexible hosting model that allows events to be distributed across multiple locations.

Experts warn that shrinking snowpacks are not merely a sports issue. 

Seasonal snow acts as a natural reservoir, storing water in winter and releasing it during spring and summer for drinking supplies, agriculture, and hydropower. 

As warming continues, researchers say the future of the Winter Olympics will depend on global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and stabilize winter climate conditions.