No snow? No problem? Except for businesses who depend on it.

Mike Randall, Times Herald-Record
·4 min read

Pitchers and catchers reported to more seasonal climates for Major League Baseball spring training this week. Perhaps the Mets and Yankees could have just reported to New York instead of Florida the way the weather's been lately.

This has been an atypical winter across the region, experts agree.

Jimmy Sievers at Sunoco A+1 gas station in New City with a stack of unsold snow melt salt on Feb. 15, 2023. He says this would all be sold by this time in a normal winter.
Jimmy Sievers at Sunoco A+1 gas station in New City with a stack of unsold snow melt salt on Feb. 15, 2023. He says this would all be sold by this time in a normal winter.

A week in the middle of February was a classic example of this winter: high temperatures in the 40s, or 50s, or even 60s on one or two days, and when the forecast called for precipitation, it was rain, not snow.

Businesses that depend on the presence of snow have had to cope with its absence.

Why hasn't it been snowing?

Tom Kines, a senior meteorologist for AccuWeather, said what's causing the lack of snow across large sections of the country this winter has a lot to do with the jet stream, a current of air that guides the direction of storms from about 15,000 to 20,000 feet above the earth.

Kim Lauro and Emiko Sortino enjoy lunch on a warm, sunny table at Starbucks in New City on Feb. 15, 2023.
Kim Lauro and Emiko Sortino enjoy lunch on a warm, sunny table at Starbucks in New City on Feb. 15, 2023.

"For a large part of the time this winter, the jet stream has been north of us," Kines said. "Because we are on the south side of the jet stream, it's often been warmer than normal. So when we do see precipitation, we see rain instead of snow."

However, Kines said those who like a little snow with their winter might be encouraged by the long-range forecast, which is showing a pattern change in the next couple weeks that is going to bring more cold air south from Canada.

"That's going to create a few opportunities for snow in the next week or two," Kines said. "So if you're a snow lover, there's some reason to hope."

Vinny Daddona, General Foreman of the Briarcliff DPW, says that with almost no snowfall this year, they have used just a fraction of the 900 tons of salt that they have stored. He says that his men miss the overtime they see each winter due.to working during snowstorms, but after 35 years, he doesnÕt miss working the extra hours.
Vinny Daddona, General Foreman of the Briarcliff DPW, says that with almost no snowfall this year, they have used just a fraction of the 900 tons of salt that they have stored. He says that his men miss the overtime they see each winter due.to working during snowstorms, but after 35 years, he doesnÕt miss working the extra hours.

Making it snow when there's no snow

John Baiata, marketing director for the Mount Peter Ski Area in Warwick, said this winter got off to a promising start, but then the weather quickly went downhill.

"We opened Dec. 17 and had a great opening week," Baiata said. But then, "the weather has been very inconsistent since."

Annelie Cantu, left and Michael Decelestino, right, play basketball at the park in Cornwall, NY, on Feb. 15, 2023.
Annelie Cantu, left and Michael Decelestino, right, play basketball at the park in Cornwall, NY, on Feb. 15, 2023.

Baiata said the problem has been more complex than just a lack of major snowstorms creating a significant accumulation of snow; there have been "significant stretches where the temperatures have not allowed for snowmaking."

However, Mount Peter has been able to rise above that obstacle.

Aya Sofia Niemeyer of Newburgh gets to ride her balance bike on a 60 degree day in the City of Poughkeepsie on February 15, 2023.
Aya Sofia Niemeyer of Newburgh gets to ride her balance bike on a 60 degree day in the City of Poughkeepsie on February 15, 2023.

"Thankfully, we have a really top-notch snow-making and snow grooming mountain operations team that have made it work," Baiata said. "Every window of opportunity we have to make snow, we have made it."

And that has allowed Mount Peter's guests to do all the things they have come to expect in the 87 years it has been open: ski, snowboard and tube.

Mount Peter was able to open its tubing area in time for the President's Day holiday weekend.

"We would have liked to get it open sooner for our guests, but tubing requires a fair amount of snow-making," Baiata said.

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Getting creative while weathering change

Off this winter are snowblower sales, according to Ben Mazzucca, a manager at Precision Mower and Power Equipment in Nanuet.

"It's affecting all aspects of our business − sales, service and parts," Mazzucca said.

Layla Sunshine Foster Walks with her dog Callie at Waryas park on a 60 degree day in the City of Poughkeepsie on February 15, 2023.
Layla Sunshine Foster Walks with her dog Callie at Waryas park on a 60 degree day in the City of Poughkeepsie on February 15, 2023.

"We sold some snowblowers at the beginning of the season," Mazzucca said. "But all through January, and now February, we've sold none."

Mazzucca said he is filling the time where he would normally be repairing snowblowers by getting a jump on the spring season.

"We're spending some of our time repairing lawn mowers," he said.

Some landscapers and related businesses sometimes include snow plowing among their services.

Michael Lehan, owner of Lehan's Lawn and Landscape in Hyde Park, said the lack of snow this winter is hurting business at a time when other services are not needed much.

"It's definitely affecting us," Lehan said. "We're doing what we can do to get by. We're doing all right, we're not going to die, but we're not doing great."

But A.J. Ruger of Ruger's Landscaping and Snow Removal, which does a lot of work in the Newburgh and Beacon areas, said the lack of snow is not hurting them as much as some others because their service is more diversified.

"We're doing a lot of indoor work right now," Ruger said. "We do painting, tile, hardwood and laminate floors."

Mike Randall covers breaking news for the Times Herald-Record, Poughkeepsie Journal and The Journal News/lohud. Reach him at mrandall@th-record.com or on Twitter @mikerandall845.

This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Lack of snow this winter affects businesses across the Hudson Valley