Weather Services, Science Advances, and the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games

Abstract

The Olympics inspire greatness. "Swifter, Higher, Stronger" applies not only to the athletes but sets the tone for everyone associated with the games, including the weather service providers. The Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games of 2010 will be hosted by the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, from 12-28 February and 12-21 March, respectively. Alpine and Nordic events will be held on Whistler Mountain, at the new Whistler Olympic Park in the Callaghan Valley and at Cypress Mountain on the North Shore Mountains just north of the City of Vancouver (Fig.1). The challenges for winter weather forecasting and nowcasting in complex terrain within a coastal region require Olympian efforts and innovations to overcome.