Human-Made Snow in Beijing Could be Dangerous as the Earth Warms

As the planet warms, it had gotten difficult for Beijing to host the Winter Olympics using real, natural snow, and even if they want to, they have no choice but to rely on artificial snow.

For 50 years, it is an "Olympic first" to virtually host Winter Games using 100% artificial snow due to climate variability - a trend that also takes place across winter sport locations worldwide.

Having fewer cities with climate suitability for winter sports by the end of the century, and having forced to rely on snow machines, CNN Weather reports that human-made snow comes with a cost.

A recent study published in T&F Online found that global warming and climate change poses risks to Winter Games, and an "unfair-unsafe conditions" for elite athletes has increased over the last 50 years.

Climate crisis affecting the Winter Olympics

Global climate change has impacted several aspects of society, where sports have not even become an exception.

Throughout the years, there had been increasing evidence on the interconnections between sports and climate change.

In regions surrounding the outdoor Olympic venues where there had been extreme droughts in the past years, snow sports aren't particularly suitable.

However, there comes snowmaking machines, saving the day - but is it really?

"We are very proud to say that we are the only company providing the snow-making systems for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics," Michael Mayr, TechnoAlpin Asia area manager, told CNN.

According to Mayr, it is the first time a single company has been tasked with providing all the snow for the Winter Games.

However, they face a critical component to making snow that some of the Beijing sites also lack: temperatures cold enough to freeze water.

According to Slippery Slopes, "nearly all February days for the past 30 years have been above freezing," thus, "water availability for snowmaking (the current best solution to lack of snow) is reduced."

Moreover, in spite of using renewables, a huge amount of energy is needed "which is both costly and a significant drain on water resources."

Also read: Record Breaking: Delhi Experiences Coldest Day in Almost a Decade, Leaving Homeless Dead

Challenges on snow guns

In terms of safety, several athletes have expressed concerns about the hazards of competing on fake ice.

For instance, French cross-country skier Clement Parisse , bronze medalist at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics told CNN that human-made snow tends to become very slicky and icy.

Laura Donaldson, a freestyle skier from Scotland and extremely critical with artificial snow said: "If freestyle super pipes are formed from snow-making machines in a poor season, the walls of the pipe are solid, vertical ice and the pipe floor is solid ice."

"This is dangerous for athletes, some have died," she added.

Snowmaking traditionally relied on snow guns temperatures at or below freezing point.

For warmer temperatures and lower elevations, a different approach needs to be taken.

"There have been recent technological advances that allow for the generation of snow when it is above freezing," explained Jordy Hendrikx, the director of the Snow and Avalanche Laboratory at Montana State University.

Hendrikx further described the artificial snow as dense and "not very soft." 

Also read: Mysterious Phenomenon: How Do Trees 'Explode' During Texas' Freezing Storms?