SOCHI, Russia — temperatures soften snow at some venues, so some athletes must adjust their technique and officials must scramble to keep competitions running.
This has been a difficult week at a handful of venues in the Caucasus Mountains, where a sunny sky and unseasonably high temperatures have softened the snow and made ice on the sliding track something of a mystery. Athletes have been forced to adjust their technique and equipment while officials have activated contingency plans to keep the competitions on schedule.
Weather challenges are no surprise in Sochi or the adjacent mountains — this is one of Russia's few regions with a subtropical climate. Warm, rainy days forced the cancellation of several international test events last winter.
The Russians prepared for the Games by installing a massive snow-making system and stockpiling snowfall beneath thermal blankets over the summer. They also got lucky with early winter storms that provided ample coverage.
The surface temperature for the women's luge final on Tuesday was about three degrees higher than ideal and officials had to stop the race at one point to repair the ice.
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