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PIX: Ice, Ice baby! 2018 Winter Olympics is here and it's the coldest one yet!

Last updated on: February 09, 2018 16:12 IST

India's Shiva Keshavan slides in a training session during the Men's Luge previews at the Olympic Sliding Centre on Thursday, ahead of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, in South Korea

IMAGE: India's Shiva Keshavan slides in a training session during the Men's Luge previews at the Olympic Sliding Centre on Thursday, ahead of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, in South Korea. Photograph: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

South Korea's Winter Olympics is likely to be the coldest since Norway hosted the 1994 Games, with Pyeongchang's daily mean low temperature for February the same as Lillehammer's at minus 11 degrees Celsius (12 Fahrenheit), according to an unofficial study.

A Biathlete trains ahead of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Alpensia Biatyhlon Centre on Thursday

IMAGE: A Biathlete trains ahead of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Alpensia Biatyhlon Centre on Thursday. Photograph: Lars Baron/Getty Images

And while the mercury hits its lowest, South Korea's Jang Hye-Ji launched the Games on Thursday by sliding the first mixed doubles curling stone in Olympic history down the ice, before about 2,500 spectators at Gangneung Curling Centre, AFP reported.

Japan's ski jumper Daiki Ito competes in the men’s normal hill individual trial round at the Alpensia ski jumping centre in Pyeonchang on Thursday

IMAGE: Japan's ski jumper Daiki Ito competes in the men’s normal hill individual trial round at the Alpensia ski jumping centre in Pyeonchang on Thursday. Photograph: Dominic Ebenbichler/Reuters

Plunging to minus 20 degrees Celsius at night and rarely breaking above freezing in the day, temperatures at Pyeongchang have presented athletes with a different set of conditions from the sunshine and slushy snow of Sochi in 2014.

An athlete in action during Slopestyle training at Phoenix Park in Pyeongchang on Thursday

IMAGE: An athlete in action during Slopestyle training at Phoenix Park in Pyeongchang on Thursday. Photograph: Clive Mason/Getty Images

However, Pyeongchang is not necessarily the city with the coldest February temperature to host the Olympics, according to data compiled by www.olympstats.com.

Going by the daily mean low temperatures for February, Lake Placid (1980) tops the list at minus 13 degrees Celsius.

South Korean Moguls skier Jae Woo Choi crashes during a training session at Bokwang Phoenix Snow Park in Pyeongchang on Thursday

IMAGE: South Korean Moguls skier Jae Woo Choi crashes during a training session at Bokwang Phoenix Snow Park in Pyeongchang on Thursday. Photograph: David Ramos/Getty Images

If the absolute low temperature is considered, Calgary would stand out as the coldest Olympic host city, with a record low of -45 degrees Celsius ahead of Salt Lake City (-34 degrees Celsius) and St Moritz (-32 degrees Celsius).

Members of the United States team in action during a Bobsleigh practice at Olympic Sliding Centre in Pyeongchang on Thursday

IMAGE: Members of the United States team in action during a Bobsleigh practice at Olympic Sliding Centre in Pyeongchang on Thursday. Photograph: Al Bello/Getty Images

Organisers in Pyeongchang are preparing to deal with the cold snap at Friday's opening ceremony and also battling the spread of a virus among staff.

Japan's Freestyle Skier Sho Endo crashes during training at Phoenix Snow Park in Pyeongchang on Thursday

IMAGE: Japan's Freestyle Skier Sho Endo crashes during training at Phoenix Snow Park in Pyeongchang on Thursday. Photograph: Dylan Martinez/Reuters

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