The Milan Cortina Olympics were a showcase for growth and inclusion in winter sports, but the infrastructure that keeps those sports alive is on thin ice.
Why it matters: If warming weather trends continue, the map of where people can learn to curl, play hockey, or ski will be limited.
Threat level: In hard-hit areas, travel will be "extremely treacherous," forecasters say, and some leaders are restricting it. Meanwhile,more than half a million customers in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Delaware and Rhode Island are without power.
U.S. battery storage installations rose 29% last year, driven by strong utility-scale growth in Arizona and Texas, per new data from the Solar Energy Industries Association and Benchmark Mineral Intelligence.
Why it matters: Storage is a flexible resource that helps meet demand peaks and enables higher levels of renewables on grids.
It's a perfect storm: As extreme winter weather triggers thousands of flight cancellations, the federal government created more travel questions.
The Department of Homeland Security announced Sunday it would suspend two popular travel programs, including TSA PreCheck, due to the ongoing partial government shutdown. But hours later, it seemingly reversed course, saying PreCheck remained operational.
Why it matters: Air travel has historically been a major pain point during government shutdowns, which trade association Airlines for America President Chris Sununu says makes the public a "political football."
