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Rare weather

Heat a hit with golfers, not so with skiers

Alex Baker makes his way along Allegheny Street on Wednesday afternoon sans shirt because of the warm weather that has engulfed the area. Mirror photo by Gary M. Baranec

Historically, February weather has been more conducive to swinging ice chippers than golf clubs, but recent temperatures have many local residents hitting the links early in the year.

While warm weather is a hit with golfers, those who like to ski local slopes may be less enthusiastic.

“Because of the warm temperatures, we haven’t had a window where we can make snow,” said Donna Himes, marketing director at Blue Knob All Seasons Resort.

Himes said Thursday that 10 of the Claysburg resort’s 34 slopes were open to skiers despite forecasters predictions of high temperatures of more than 70 degrees.

“It is rare even in a good winter that all of them are open for very long,” Himes said.

Still, a recorded Thursday ski report warned skiers to “watch for areas of thin cover and limitations.”

Aaron Weyman, marketing director at Tussey Mountain, said warm weather has affected Centre County’s slope, as well.

“I’m sure if you’d call any ski area on the East Coast they’d say the same thing,” he said.

Tussey Mountain, Weyman said, is relying on reserves of man-made snow.

“Eventually, as long it’s staying warm, it will start to narrow in and melt,” he said. “Any chance we get to make snow, we’ll do it.”

Typically in mid-February, temperatures reach a high of about 42 degrees and a low of 27, National Weather Service meteorologist Paul Head said.

National Weather Service predictions call for high temperatures of 75 degrees today and 60 degrees Saturday.

Recent, unseasonable temperatures are due to a weather pattern off the East Coast, which has been circulating warm air, Head said.

“It pumps the warm air up from the southern plains to Pennsylvania,” he said, noting nearly all of the area’s snow has melted. “There is still some snow in the hollows in the mountains.”

On the greens and fairways, snow is a distant memory.

Sinking Valley Country Club opened to golfers Wednesday, weeks ahead of the normal mid-March opening, club professional Troy Monahan said.

“Everything is open, everything is in good condition and we are ready to go,” he said. “Our members are appreciative that we are open.”

In the past few days, about 30 to 40 golfers visited the course per day, and Monahan said he predicts even larger crowds today.

Often at this point in the year, land can be soggy and un-golfable, said Rich Conwell, Park Hills Golf Club’s professional. That is not the case this year at the course, which also opened Wednesday.

“We generally are entirely closed the months of January and February,” he said. “We’re very dry. We’re pretty comfortable.”

Hollidaysburg’s Scotch Valley Country Club was among the many that opened courses earlier this week.

Club President Dennis DeGol Jr. said that is much earlier than a typical year.

“I would say a good year for us … is if we would be open March 15,” he said. “I’ve never seen a three-week stretch (of warm weather) starting the middle of February like the one we are having.”

An early influx of golfers means more than just additional play time, said Rick Grubb, golf professional and general manager at Roaring Spring’s Iron Masters Country Club, which opened a week ago today.

“This is a big shot in the arm,” he said of early revenue.

However, warm temperatures are not expected to last, Head said. Forecasters predict Saturday thunderstorms will lead to a cool down with high temperatures in the 40s for the rest of the weekend and into Monday.

“Reality is going to come back and slap us in the face over the weekend,” Head said.

Both Himes and Weyman said they look forward to predicted, below-freezing lows because it will allow snow machines to again operate on the slopes.

Warmer daytime temperatures, they said, could work to encourage skiers’ attendance.

“It’s a different kind of skiing, but you are not confined to the normal amount of layers that you’d usually wear,” Weyman said. “You can’t be sad about it even though colder weather would be beneficial to our business.”

That’s likely a good attitude to have, as temperatures are slated to rise again soon.

“It will probably get up to the 50s again by Tuesday,” Head said.

Mirror Staff Writer Sean Sauro is at 946-7535.

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