Warm temperatures threaten snow-related activites

Last week, temperatures stayed cold and the snow seemed never-ending, but this week it is quite the opposite. For everyone hoping to enjoy some snow-related activities like skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling, the warm temperatures are concerning.

Swiss Valley Ski Area is confident that despite some melting, they will still be open for fun on the hill throughout the holiday. "We started making snow over a week ago and we just kept using those cold temps that were available and then mother nature added to it last week, so we are sitting on a base of up to 24 inches, and that's enough to ski on and last through this week. We're ready, we are prepared for it, we have expensive grooming machines and we use them," says Jamie Stafne of Swiss Valley.

As Swiss Valley stays positive, companies like Krupp's Power Sports in Edwardsburg are upset with the quick change in the weather. The snowmobiling season was off to a good start last week, with locals paving tracks across the 99 miles of trails in Cass county and the 60 miles near Niles, but only two days later, all of the snowpack is gone.

The VP of Krupp's, Shane Stephic, says this won't affect sales, but it will urge people to follow the snow. "This year we had some early snowfall, but not near as much as last December. We definitely need the snow to keep things going locally, but usually when there's snow up north in the Baldwin, Cadillac area, people will still travel to snowmobile, but our customers, we have a lot that just like to snowmobile here locally."

At the snowmobile staging area in Howard Township, all that is left of the snow are some tracks, but in a week, it may have a nice fresh coat of snow. Check out the ABC57 First Warning Neighborhood Weather 10-Day Forecast for a look at our next chance of snow,