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Tokyo to test snow machines for sweltering 2020 summer Olympics

05 September 2019 11:33 (UTC +04:00)

In a bid to keep visitors cool in blistering temperatures expected during next year’s Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic games, organisers may deploy machines to sprinkle spectators with manmade snow, APA reports citing Euronews.

Artificial snow is the latest stratagem being considered to counter high humidity and summer temperatures that commonly exceed 30 degrees Celsius (86°F) in July and August, when the games are scheduled in the Japanese capital.

"A snow-making machine will be tried out at a test canoeing event on Sept. 13 in Tokyo, a spokesman for the games" organising committee said.

To avoid the hottest part of the day, the marathons will start at 6 a.m., with major roads on much of the 26-mile (42 km) route surfaced with a resin-based material organisers say will reflect infrared rays to cut its temperature as much as 8 degrees C.