Simply six months after the Tokyo 2021 summer season Olympics, the Beijing Winter Olympics is lastly right here.

This 12 months, 91 international locations will likely be collaborating within the video games, with 1,581 males and 1,290 ladies collaborating, probably the most gender-balanced video games in historical past.

Over two weeks, athletes will likely be competing in snowboarding, snowboarding, curling, bobsled, and ice skating to call a couple of of the sports activities in freezing chilly temperatures—however does Beijing even have any snow?

Newsweek has every part you should know concerning the snow on the video games and the place precisely the venues are situated.

Does Beijing Have Any Snow?

Sure, Beijing does have some snow, however not very a lot. In actual fact, Beijing will likely be fortunate to get any kind of snowfall. The climate will likely be chilly for positive for the athletes however it is extremely unlikely they are going to be taking to the slopes in actual snow.

The Beijing Winter Olympics will likely be utilizing nearly 100% synthetic snow, equipped by snow mills and snow blockers. This is not the primary time synthetic snow has been utilized in Olympic historical past, however it is without doubt one of the few occasions the faux snow will make up the vast majority of the areas.

A report launched by the U.Okay.'s Loughborough College particulars the Beijng Winter Olympics will use 49 million gallons (186 million liters) of water and 130 snowmaking machines to create the substitute snow.

There will even be 300 snowmaking weapons and eight water cooling towers. The electrical energy used to make the snow will come from renewable wind and photo voltaic power sources.

There may be additionally water-conservation efforts in place, explains CNET.

The usage of synthetic snow has had a combined response from athletes, with some believing it makes issues a bit extra harmful.

Estonian biathlete Johanna Taliharm informed The Related Press: "Synthetic snow is icier, due to this fact sooner and extra harmful. It additionally hurts extra in the event you fall outdoors of the course when there isn't a fluffy snowbank, however simply rocky and muddy arduous floor."

Nonetheless, New Zealand snowboarder Zoi Sadowski Synnott, informed Reuters: "The snow is definitely superb, the man-made stuff. I feel due to how chilly it's you must be actually aggressive with the way you experience."

The place The Winter Olympics Video games 2022 Venues Are Positioned

There are three completely different areas on the Winter Olympics in Beijing: The Beijing, Yanqing, and Zhangjiakou zones.

Zhangjiakou Zone

Nearly all of ski and snowboarding occasions similar to freestyle, cross-country, ski leaping, and biathlon will happen in Zhangjiakou, a metropolis 180 kilometers northwest of Beijing.

Occasions will happen on the Nationwide Ski Leaping Centre, The Nationwide Cross-Nation Centre, and the Genting Snow Park.

beijing winter Olympics stadium
The Nationwide Stadium, often called the "birds nest" will likely be dwelling to the Winter Olympics opening and shutting ceremonies.Matthias Hangst/Getty Photographs

Yanging Zone

The bobsled, luge and skeleton and Alpine snowboarding occasions will likely be held within the mountains of Yanqing, 75 miles outdoors of central Beijing.

Areas embrace the Nationwide Alpine Ski Centre and the Nationwide Sliding Centre.

Bejing Zone

The Nationwide Stadium, often called the "birds nest" will likely be dwelling to the Winter Olympics opening and shutting ceremonies.

Determine skating and brief observe velocity skating will likely be held on the Capital Indoor Stadium in Central Beijing.

Additionally within the Beijing Zone is the Nationwide Aquatics Centre which has been reworked into the "Ice Dice" to host the curling competitions.

The Nationwide Indoor Stadium and The Wukesong Sports activities Centre will host the ice hockey competitions while The Nationwide Pace Skating Oval, nicknamed "the ice ribbon" will host velocity skating.

Freestyle Snowboarding Band snowboard Large Air competitions will happen on the Large Air Shougang.

The 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing begins on February 4, 2022, with the video games ending on Sunday, February 20.