On January 19th, athletes participating in the curling competition at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics almost faced a crisis due to an unexpected heavy snowfall that paralyzed transportation in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. As they eagerly awaited the resumption of normal traffic, many competitors found themselves abandoning their taxis and buses to walk through the deep snow to reach the venue, creating a striking scene. American player Taylor Anderson-Hayde reported that this detour added an hour to their travel time, contributing to the challenges athletes faced during the event.

The conditions not only affected the athletes' arrival at the curling venue but also raised significant concerns about the timing of various competitions. The Canadian women's team, poised to compete against South Korea in the semifinals, became stuck on a bus for an hour due to the inclement weather, putting some teams at risk of missing official practice time. As a result of these disruptions, event organizers postponed the women's round robin match and the men's semifinal by thirty minutes each to accommodate the athletes' struggles.

This snowstorm wasn't an isolated occurrence; it was part of a larger pattern throughout the 2026 Winter Olympics, as heavy snowfall consistently challenged organizers and participants. The women's snowboard slope-style qualifiers were moved up by one day while the finals were pushed back by a day, illustrating how serious the weather disruptions had become. Key events, such as the men's ski halfpipe qualifiers, were delayed further, demonstrating the ongoing battle against the extreme weather conditions faced at these Winter Games.