This is not as far fetched as it sounds. Japanese Olympic officials are worried that there might not be enough snow in Nagano. It is because of El Nino. El Nino is a major shift of temperature in the tropical Pacific waters.
Japan is located on the Western edge of the Pacific coast.
In April and May of 1997 there started to be an increase in temperature of these waters. Normally the water temperature decreases during this time of year. The El Nino phenomena results in droughts, floods and snow storms in many parts of the world. The study of El Nino's are of aparticular instructs for meteorologists. El Nino. are mysterious.