The warmest winter in six years resulted in bad ski conditions and a muddier Green, but has not caused a major change in local business.
Weather Services Meterologist Dave Taylor said the unseasonably mild Upper Valley winter is the warmest the area has experienced since 1991.
"The temperature has been an average five degrees warmer than normal," he said. The normal February average temperature in the North Country is 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
While many have no doubt enjoyed the mild winter, the ski season has been adversely affected.
"There hasn't been a whole lot of snow -- conditions have not been as good as the last couple of years," ski team member David Viele '98 said. But he said the Dartmouth Skiway has done "a really good job making snow."
The Nordic ski team has been able to ski "anytime we wanted to" despite unusual snow conditions, team member Paul Stone '98 said.
"Hanover is just in a really bad snow pocket," Stone said. "Even places south of here, like Williams, have better snow than we do."
The Dartmouth Skiway -- which had a "record year" in 1996 -- is experiencing "average" sales this year, Skiway Manager Donnie Cutter said.
Cutter said the Skiway is 55 percent open -- which means there are 10 trails with enough snow for skiing. Business, however, has not been affected.
"This year we have had an average number of people come out," Cutter said. "Most of our skiers are local people who come no matter how much snow there is."
Despite the warm weather, Hanover businesses have not noticed significant changes in sales of winter equipment and gear.
Less snow has not affected rock salt sales or shovel sales significantly at Hanover Hardware, according to Mike Campbell, the store's manager.
Lebanon Motor Toys has also had a very successful year.
"We sold every snow mobile we had," Manager Jeff Durand said. "The snow we did get helped out sales. We sold our last snow-mobile two weeks ago."
The warm weather has not led to fewer snow days either. Hanover High School had two snow days this winter -- one more than last year.
