The Val di Fiemme ski stadium was engulfed in snow chaos on Thursday, as a heavy, wet snowfall continued throughout the morning leading up to the Milan-Cortina Olympics. This unprecedented weather has made the situation extremely difficult for the participants, as noted by Finland's equipment manager, Pekka Kemppi, who compared the snowfall to an immense amount being dumped from above. Despite the adverse conditions, the combined event's jumping portion was carried out, although athletes faced a daunting 15 kilometers of skiing on a 1.5-kilometer sprint course, which is particularly grueling under such heavy snowfall.

Kemppi emphasized that the current snowfall is among the heaviest he has encountered, recalling that only in rare instances during World Cup events have conditions been this severe. By the morning, 15 centimeters of snow had already fallen, and further accumulation was expected before the competition kicks off. The Finnish team was informed that the track would be groomed twice before the race, indicating the seriousness of managing the course's conditions and ensuring athlete safety.

As the weather creates a scenario ripe for unpredictability, Kemppi expressed his concerns about the impending competition, describing it as 'raw' due to the hazardous situation. With athletes needing to test their skis for performance in these challenging conditions, the anxiety surrounding the event heightens, forcing teams to adapt quickly to an almost chaotic environment created by the relentless snowfall.