But heavy snows Sunday morning at Happo'One did force the postponement of the men's downhill ski medal event, in which Austria's Hermann Maier is a heavy favorite. As the skiers came down the hill en masse in the surest sign the event was postponed, there was no immediate announcement when it will be rescheduled. That's because the weather forecast calls for worse conditions Monday and perhaps Tuesday, with the prospects of greater fog and more-limited visibility. Without question, weather conditions in Hakuba could be as big a story during the Olympics as the skiers themselves. The humidity here is such that the weather patterns are highly predictable.
Clear skies can give way to fog in less than an hour.
For the nation of Japan, it is a scary concern. The country was embarrassed by all types of weather and logistical problems when it was host to the world championships in 1993. But there was abundant low-lying fog. That fog tends to be at its worst near the top of the mountain, at the starting area. Moreover, after a heavy snow it can take two hours for workers to press down new snow to make the course suitable for racing.