Cortina isn't as cold as when it last hosted the Winter Olympics

In just two weeks, thousands of athletes and millions of eyeballs will descend on chilly Cortina d’Ampezzo as the Olympic Winter Games kick off. 

But compared to 70 years ago — the last time the resort town held the event — average temperatures are more than three degrees hotter, according to a new analysis from the U.S.-based non-profit Climate Central. 

In the decade after the 1956 Winter Games, average temperatures in February were around –7 C. Between 2016 and 2025, that’s shot up to –2.7 C.

“That’s a pretty big warming,” said Kristina Dahl, vice-president for science at Climate Central, “and it can mean the difference between freezing temperatures and thawing temperatures.” 

Using a global temperature dataset that goes back to the 1940s, Climate Central also found there are 41 fewer days per year in Cortina with temperatures below freezing than in the past. 

“It’s important to have these naturally cold and snowy conditions in order to ensure that the athletes have the best possible environment in which to compete,” Dahl told CBC News. 

The report says average temperatures for the Winter Paralympics have also shifted in the 50 years since their debut, with their typical March starting date making warmer temperatures more likely. March temperatures in Cortina and Milan have warmed 2.5 C and 2.1 C, since 1976. 

All of these data points show how climate change, driven by the burning of fossil fuels, is putting pressure on outdoor events — creating a greater dependence on artificial snow. And beyond the competition area, experts say the safety and runoff areas need a lot of snow, too. 

In December, International Ski Federation president Johan Eliasch raised concerns about the artificial snow needed at Livigno, where