Despite being held in the high-altitude Italian Alps, the 2026 Winter Olympics will require more than 3 million cubic yards of artificial snow, according to an analysis released ahead of the Milan–Cortina games scheduled for February.
With artificial snow now a regular feature of winter sports, the findings highlight the growing role of weather in shaping the Winter Olympics and Paralympics. The analysis—The Winter Olympics in a Warming World by Climate Central—examines how rising temperatures, declining snow reliability, and increasing dependence on artificial snow are affecting the safety, fairness, and long-term viability of outdoor winter sports.
Without cold enough temperatures and sufficient snow on the ground, Olympic athletes may experience conditions like rain, wet snow, or low snow coverage. Resistant and hard surfaces are required for elite competition to ensure fair and safe conditions for athletes. If surfaces cannot refreeze, the risk of injuries increases, and athletes later in the start list are likely to experience less favourable conditions, it says.
According to the study, February temperatures in Cortina d’Ampezzo have warmed by 6.4°F (3.6°C) over the 70 years since the town first hosted the Winter Games in 1956 and have 41 fewer freezing days annually. Since the first Winter Paralympic Games were held in 1976, March temperatures have risen by 4.6°F (2.5°C) in Cortina and 3.9°F (2.1°C) in Milan.
Earlier, a 2024 study found that of 93 potential host cities, only 52 are expected to have reliable winter conditions for the Olympics by the 2050s. “The 2026 Games will require more than 3 million cubic yards of artificial snow, despite being hosted in the high-altitude Italian Alps,” the report states. It adds that average February temperatures across the last 19 Winter Olympic host cities warmed by 4.8°F (2.7°C) between 1950 and 2021.
“Rapid warming has pushed February average temperatures closer to the thawing point—27.1°F during 2016–2025, compared with 19.3°F during 1956–1965,” the analysis notes. Studies also show that the average February snow depth in Cortina has declined by about 15 centimetres (6 inches) between 1971 and 2019.
February temperatures in Milan, which will host indoor ice sports such as figure skating and ice hockey, have warmed by 5.8°F (3.2°C) over the same period. The 2026 host cities are not alone: all 19 cities that have hosted the Winter Olympics since 1950 have experienced warming, averaging 4.8°F (2.7°C), according to earlier Climate Central research.
Snow loss in February reflects the growing influence of climate change in the Alps. The outlook is even more concerning for the Winter Paralympics, typically held in March. By the 2050s, only 22 of the 93 potential host cities are projected to have reliable winter conditions, the analysis adds.