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SCIO press conference on latest progress of 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games preparations and updates on Yanqing and Zhangjiakou competition zones

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Xing Huina:

Thank you, Mr. Yan, for your introduction. Now everyone can start asking questions. Please state which news organization you are with before asking questions.

Beijing Youth Daily:

My questions are about meteorology. During some competition events, the quality, amount, and temperature of snow, as well as visibility and wind speed will all affect athletes and referees. Previously, the meteorological and environmental departments predicted that the weather and meteorological conditions would be more complicated and severe this winter and next spring. How will the BOCOG guarantee meteorological services? In addition, this is also the first time that the Winter Olympics will be held in a continental monsoon climate. Extreme weather may be more prone to occur during the turn of winter and spring. Do you have any ways of dealing with that? Thank you.

Zhao Weidong:

Thank you for your questions. Beijing 2022 will be the first Winter Olympics in the history to be hosted in a continental monsoon climate zone. Located at continental monsoon climate zone, Beijing and Zhangjiakou have a transitional season of winter and spring from February to March each year, and there are indeed extreme weather conditions such as low temperatures, strong winds and little snow, as well as sand and dust. Among them, strong winds may have an impact on the snow events. The mountainous terrain of Yanqing and Zhangjiakou, where the snow event venues are located, is more complicated. According to meteorological experts, the weather conditions in these two places are volatile, and it is indeed very difficult to forecast weather accurately. In despite of these challenges, we believe that as long as we do our best, respect science and trust experts, we will always have a way.

In order to guarantee meteorological services, we actually began arranging the related work very early. Four years ago, the China Meteorological Administration established the Winter Olympics Meteorological Center. The staff at the Winter Olympics Meteorological Center focused on two areas: one was the hardware construction of weather facilities, and the other was forecast services. They built two weather forecast radars and more than 50 weather tracking stations at Haituo Mountain in Beijing's Yanqing district, and at Kangbao County in Hebei's Zhangjiakou. The three-dimensional weather monitoring network they built is capable of capturing multiple factors within a second. This center has monitored and collected meteorological data for mountain racetracks for five consecutive years and compiled relevant meteorological reports and meteorological risk analysis assessments, which they've provided to the IOC, the Association of the International Olympic Winter Sports Federations (AIOWF), the Olympic committees of various countries (regions) and various stakeholders, providing relevant information such that everyone can prepare for meteorological risks in advance.

Meanwhile, the meteorological department also selected the best weather forecast service personnel in the country and formed a 52-person team for the Beijing Winter Olympics, equipped each snow venue and sliding venue with the best weather forecasters, and made it possible for them to get hands-on experience with winter sports events at home and abroad for the past four years. What's more, they have also been stationed at the Beijing Winter Olympics venues during the snowy season to carry out weather forecasting drills and further understand the weather conditions at the venues, as well as the weather's changing nature. Based on the current feedback from the meteorological department, the team's ability to accurately forecast the weather is improving year by year, and we should have full confidence in them. When the Games start, venue weather forecasters will maintain close communication with technical experts from the AIOWF to help make accurate judgments and any necessary adjustments to the events.

As the reporter just mentioned the possibility of extreme weather, the BOCOG is working with the IOC, relevant international winter sports federations and Olympic broadcasting companies to jointly study and compile an emergency agenda for the Beijing Winter Olympics. Once any extreme weather occurs during the Games, we will promptly start the management procedures for changing the competition schedule, make every effort to prepare for any emergency scenario and minimize the adverse effects of extreme weather on the Games.

All in all, the BOCOG will work with relevant departments to strengthen the meteorological service guarantees and ensure the smooth running of the Beijing Winter Olympic events. thanks.