Photo: Cui Meng/GT

 
You might think that highly trained Alpine skiers at the top of their game would not be disturbed by snowfall, but when Mother Nature intervenes at a crucial moment, everyone has to respect it. 

On Sunday, Zhangjiakou in Hebei Province saw heavy snow, which forced the postponement of events like freeski slopestyle and delays to the men's giant slalom. So why does snow affect snow sports? 

First, snow affects the course or ski run. The air temperature rises when it snows, and thus affects the snow temperature and quality of the track. In that case, the type and amount of waxing for athletes' skis and snowboards must be adjusted.   

Second, fresh snow makes the track surface soft and increases friction, which can adversely affect athletes' performance. 

Third, visibility is reduced, which obscures the sight of judges and athletes. For high-speed precision events such as Alpine skiing and freeski, athletes risk being injured.

Experts noted that the suspension of a race is determined by the viscosity of the track's snow surface, rather than the amount of snow.