Looking to the skies for safety on the slopes

As the Games get underway, a meteorological team of nearly 100 people are working to help ensure that weather conditions do not disrupt the events, particularly outdoor snow competitions such as cross-country skiing and snowboarding.

Outdoor winter sports are highly sensitive to changes in weather, with factors like snowfall, temperature, wind speed and visibility directly influencing the events, said Li Guang, director of the competition department of the executive committee of the Games.

"Meteorological accuracy is crucial for both athletes' safety and performance," Li said.

For instance, temperatures as low as — 25 C are typically a sign that cross-country skiing and biathlon events may need to be delayed. Similarly, if temperatures rise too much, snow on the course could begin to melt, making it difficult for athletes to control their movements during sharp turns, particularly in alpine skiing.

Snowfall can pose further challenges. Fresh snow increases friction, which slows athletes down and affects their balance, especially during jumps or quick accelerations. Heavy snow can also obscure racecourse markers, posing safety risks for competitors, Li said.

"During a recent test event for alpine skiing, we adjusted cable car operations and cleared snow from the courses based on forecasts provided by meteorological teams to ensure the smooth running of the event," he said.

The meteorological data for the snow sports venues at the Games is collected by 37 meteorological stations established since late 2023 at the Yabuli Ski Resort, located about two hours' drive from Harbin.

The stations are comprised of large fixed installations on major mountaintops and smaller portable ones strategically placed across different courses according to the specific needs of each track, said Han Hongliang, a meteorological service worker for the Games.

One of the unique challenges faced by Han and other members of the meteorological team in Yabuli has been the need to physically transport equipment to remote and hard-to-reach locations on the mountain.

"In the early days, before the ski resort was open to the public and the cable cars were running, we had to carry all the equipment up the mountain by hand," Han said, adding that setting up larger stations could take up to two days.

Since the stations have been established, service workers like Han have been regularly inspecting the equipment and maintaining it to ensure accurate data collection.

As part of a comprehensive monitoring system, these stations gather initial data for technicians to analyze at a central station, which is then sent to meteorologists like Tang on the front line for processing, Han said.