A day before the opening ceremony, Beijing's 12 Olympic venues were mostly in a state of calm before the storm.
Workers use shovels and brooms to clear away snow from an intersection at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Monday, Jan. 31, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein
An ice maker sprays water over a Beijing 2022 logo at the Yanqing National Sliding Center ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Jan. 28, 2022, in the Yanqing district of Beijing. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
AP Photo/Jae C. Hong
Volunteers prepare the ski jumping hill ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Feb. 1, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
AP Photo/Matthias Schrader
A worker wearing a protective suit sprays disinfectant outside an hotel at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Feb. 3, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko
The downhill course stands out from the almost snowless landscape ahead of the first men's downhill training run at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Feb. 3, 2022, in the Yanqing district of Beijing. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
AP Photo/Luca Bruno
A member of the broadcast crew installs cable as Canada's women's hockey team practice on the ice at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Jan. 30, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
AP Photo/Jeff Roberson
Beijing_Olympics_Games_Prep_Photo_Gallery_50221 A snowboarder trains on the slopestyle course ahead of ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Feb. 2, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
AP Photo/Gregory Bull
A person works at a snow making machine on a hill overlooking cross-country skiing practice before the 2022 Winter Olympics, Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
AP Photo/Aaron Favila
A worker blows off the snow in the seating area at Genting Snow Park prior to the 2022 Winter Olympics, Jan. 31, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
AP Photo/Lee Jin-man
A worker shapes the kicker at the Big Air Shougang ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Feb. 1, 2022, in Beijing, as the old cooling towers of a steel plant stand in the city's former industrial district. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
AP Photo/Jae C. Hong
The Olympic rings shine near cross-country skiing training before the 2022 Winter Olympics, Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino
A performer runs across the stage during a rehearsal for the medal ceremonies ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
AP Photo/Jae C. Hong
Lights shine at the National Aquatics Center where curling will be held for the Beijing Winter Olympics Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
AP Photo/Brynn Anderson
A skier trains on the half-pipe ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
AP Photo/Francisco Seco
Security personnel gather in the parking lot of the Big Air Shougang ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
AP Photo/Jae C. Hong
Biathletes train at the National Biathlon Centre ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics, in Zhangjiakou, China, Feb. 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth
A volunteer vacuums the floor at the National Aquatics Center, a venue for curling events at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
AP Photo/Jae C. Hong
An athlete from the Netherlands skates during a speed skating practice session ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Feb. 3, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
AP Photo/Ashley Landis
A man watches as the National Indoor Stadium is prepared for ice hockey at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Jan. 31, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
AP Photo/Mark Humphrey
Skiers train in cross-country skiing practice before the 2022 Winter Olympics, Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino
Workers pose as snow angels for a picture at Genting Snow Park prior at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Jan. 31, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
BEIJING (AP) — A day before the opening ceremony, Beijing’s 12 Olympic venues were mostly in a state of calm before the storm.
Not a literal storm, of course — not in this arid winter climate.
That’s what all the fake snow is for.
In the mountains and the city, much of this week’s final preparations revolved around managing the roughly 800 Olympic-sized swimming pools’ worth of water needed to create enough snow to support these Games.
At the downhill ski course in Yanqing, the perimeter of the bright, white course contrasts with the brown and gray mountain on which it winds. No snow on the surrounding vista, either — just mud-colored peaks in every direction.
Massive irrigation systems were built to sustain the snow-making machines, like the one spraying wintry mix on a grassy hillside in Zhangjiakou during cross-country skiing practice.
Fake snow in the halfpipe. Fake snow on the ski jump. Fake snow at the Big Air venue built atop a repurposed steel mill. It’s even under the volunteers making snow angels for a photo.
At these Games, happening amid the coronavirus pandemic, there’s work to keep participants safe, too. Good luck finding a volunteer without a facemask — medical-grade coverings are the standard here. Even in the open air, workers in protective suits are spraying disinfectant, like outside a Beijing hotel.
For a few hours Friday, the world will turn its attention on the Bird’s Nest, where opening ceremony rehersals were run early in the week. From there, the focus shifts out to the tracks, jumps and slopes where the snow will be fake but at least the chance for gold will be real.
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