The 2026 Winter Olympics are in full swing in Italy.
Although Cortina, Italy sits nearly 6,000 feet above sea level, snow making still plays a big part in the success of this year's Games.
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In that spirit, we wanted to look into the meteorology and methodology behind snow-making. It's important to note that this snow is not "fake" or "artificial." It is, however, man-made.
What kind of weather is needed for snow making?
It has to be cold...duh! It's better, however, if the air is dry as well.
The snow cannons, snow guns, etc. shoot out compressed water. That water evaporates in the dry air. Evaporation is a cooling process.
READ: Your guide to NC ski resorts
Think about how when you step out of the shower or pool on a dry day. The beads of water evaporate off your skin, and you start to feel colder.
That's what happens when water is shot into the cold, dry air. The water crystallizes into snowflakes and stacks up on ski resorts.
What's the methodology behind making snow?
There are a few people - even in North Carolina - who attempt to take their home and transform it into a winter wonderland. Obviously, the top section applies.
There are other things that can be done to ensure a successful transition to winter in your front or back yard!
Air needs to be compressed, and the water needs to be decompressed in the pipes. You'll want to keep water lines short as well.
For those who like the snow, man-made snow is more dense and sticks around longer.
Why making snow is important at ski resorts
Although the North Carolina mountains have elevation on their side, having a firm base is crucial to preventing injury for winter athletes.
This winter has been kind to North Carolina ski resorts.
Several are open between November and March, so there's plenty of time to catch up to the average winter snow (that we found on onthesnow.com). The stats for Sugar Mountain were found on their website.
The outlook is bleak, however, farther west.
Salt Lake City - in particular - is in the midst of a historic snow drought. The city - which is set to host the 2034 Winter Olympics games - has only seen 0.1" of snow this winter.
We have seen more than that...wild!
A greater concern than winter sports, the snowpack is responsible for 95% of the city's water supply.
While this winter has been historic, the trend for snow has decreased over the years in Salt Lake City. The average winter snow is about 5-10" below what it was in decades past.
The Associated Press writes Tuesday morning about this being a concern for more of the Western U.S.
The future of the Winter Olympics
Lack of snow and long-term warming is part of an over-arching worry in the Winter Olympics world. ESPN reports that the International Olympics Committee is considering an earlier start to the Games in the future.
We'll dive deeper into the cause of that during Wednesday's "Ask the Meteorologist."
