“When it rains, it pours” – This popular proverb might just be the new slogan for the upcoming Summer Games! The Opening Ceremony for the Paris Olympics is set to commence tomorrow. But chances of a change in weather could possibly delay the festivities. For the first time in the history of the Summer Games, the ceremony will take place over the Seine River. Locals will witness around 10,500 athletes parading for 3.7 miles in 90 boats across the water body.

Leading up to this point hasn’t been without any hurdles. With constant frustrations regarding the river, and more recently, dancers backing out from the opening ceremony, challenges seem to be racking up for the French capital. Will France’s unpredictable weather cause yet another hindrance to the ambitious opening ceremony? Let’s find out.

A gloomy start to the 2024 Paris Olympics

Despite the never-ending challenges, many are looking forward to the opening ceremony tomorrow. However, according to weather forecasts, the City of Light might experience some light rain. The 3-hour long ceremony will take place at 7:30 pm CEST. The French weather service, Mateo-France, stated, “For the moment, the risk of showers during the opening ceremony cannot be ruled out.” Even though there is a slight chance that it might not pour in the evening, it still cannot be ruled out as a risk.

Despite the dark clouds looming over the city, there seems to be a silver lining. The temperature in the French capital will be around 68°F with very light winds. Forecasts earlier predicted nothing but sunshine for Friday. But now it looks like Paris will only experience rains in the morning. However, it is highly likely that the start of the ceremony might experience light showers and nothing beyond that. Seeing how thousands of people will show up across the banks of the river, it raises a few concerns.

In an exclusive with CNN, Anne Hidalgo, Paris’ Mayor stated how the weather could hinder the ceremony. “I think the rain will be a problem if we have rain tomorrow because many moments in this show need to be very safe for the dancer and without rain and without water.” But she is hoping things work in their favor. “I think maybe, maybe we will be lucky tomorrow.” While the forecasts haven’t been confirmed, they will still be moving forward with the ceremony as planned.

Incessant challenges continue to come to light

The locals weren’t too happy about the amount of money invested towards the rejuvenation of the river. But Anne Hidalgo states there’s more to this move than just the upcoming Summer Games. “Cleaning the Seine is cleaning our life … and cleaning the Seine is for our generation and the next generation.” Amidst the uproar regarding how safe the Seine is, she recently swam in the river to reiterate how clean it is due to their constant efforts. The river is set to host the Triathlon and Marathon events during the Olympics. Despite the display last week, many still believe the contamination levels continue to stay high.

But their challenges don’t cease there. Dancers performing at the opening ceremony have threatened to back out due to several discrepancies in their contract. About 300 dancers have raised concerns about limited information regarding their payments. With the Paris Olympics inching closer, these challenges continue to put a strain on the temperament surrounding the games. Will everything be smooth sailing tomorrow, or is the opening ceremony going to be in jeopardy? We will just have to wait and watch.