"With an icy white sheet still blanketing much of the Eastern United States after an intense storm this week, it’s hard to imagine a future with less snow at this time of year. 

But over time, climate change has decreased snowpack by as much as 20 percent per decade in parts of the Northern Hemisphere.

This trend is already causing trouble for the Winter Olympics and Paralympics, global events reliant on snow to succeed. In a landmark 2024 study, researchers found that potential host locations are dwindling as temperatures warm. 

Just weeks before this year’s Olympics-Paralympics events kick off in Italy, scientists published a follow-up study analyzing how the games can adapt. The most effective option: shifting when they are held. "

Kiley Price reports for Inside Climate News January 27, 2026. [2]