Winter Olympics 2018: Cold eases into start of new week
-
Strong winds forced numerous postponements in Alpine skiing events early last week.
-
Winds are expected to be much calmer into the start of the new week.
-
The fresh cold that arrived on Saturday will ease into Monday.
The bitter cold and gusty winds that plagued athletes and spectators in PyeongChang, South Korea, earlier last week will ease into the start of the new week.
Gusty winds at the start of Saturday briefly delayed the women's Alpine skiing super-G race. No delays were reported the rest of the day as calmer winds prevailed.
Hanna Huskova, of Belarus, warms up prior to the women's freestyle aerial final at Phoenix Snow Park at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, on Friday, 16 February 2018. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
The fresh cold that arrived on Saturday will continue to ease on Monday.
Sunday's highs are expected to range from 3 C (39 F) around the Olympic Village and Plaza and 9 C (48 F) at the Gangneung Olympic Park.
Such temperatures are a welcome change from the frigid air that held daytime temperatures to 9 below zero C (16 F) and 1 below zero C (30 F) at each site, respectively, early last week.
Around Alpensia Olympic Park and the bases of the other ski slopes, temperatures will cycle from climbing slightly above freezing during the day before plunging well below that mark at night into Tuesday. That may cause the composition of the snow to change from hard and icy in the morning to softer during the afternoon.
While a breeze will develop on Monday afternoon, is it not expected to reach the disruptive levels seen last week.
Another storm may bypass South Korea to the north Monday night into Tuesday, but is not expected to kick up strong winds or deliver snow.
The next chance for snow may wait until later in the week.
Participants in Alpine skiing, the biathlon and other events on the slopes will welcome the turn to calmer weather after strong winds delayed several events earlier in the week.
Refrigerators are toppled after they were blown over at a concession stand by gusty winds at the Olympic Park at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Gangneung, South Korea, Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018. Gusts forced organizers to shut down the common areas in Olympic Park asking spectators to seek shelter in buildings. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Wednesday, Feb. 14, marked the third time in four days that an Alpine skiing race was postponed due to strong winds, according to the Associated Press. The women’s slalom at the Yongpyong Alpine Centre was finally held on Friday.
Winds also postponed both the women’s and men’s biathlon on Wednesday.
The Gangneung Olympic Park was not excluded from enduring strong winds, as officials were forced to close the park temporarily and ask spectators to seek shelter.
The winds knocked over tents, signs and even small refrigerators, the Associated Press stated.
