Lack of snow not hurting local businesses

NORTH TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WIVB) - The first week of December has started off warm.

Western New York is currently over 12 degrees above the 30-year average. However, that number is skewed by the 54-, 59-, and 65-degree days that we have seen. And it really isn't that uncommon and cyclical.

But the warm temperatures have led to a 9-inch hole in snowfall. The City of Buffalo has only seen 2.4 inches, which is a full inch lower than last year.

Regardless, people are still optimistic for a good season.

"Christmas has been pretty good. We had a great Black Friday and the weekends have been good. So people are still coming in and buying accessories, helmets, jackets, gloves, boots for everything else for everything, motorcycles, ATVs, and snowmobiles," said Bob Weaver, owner of Bob Weaver Motorsports.

Weaver said one thing that there are less of is snowmobile registrations, but he says they will likely spike when more snow falls and trails open on December 19th. His business has all the seasons covered and saw a rise in sales in motorcycles and marine vehicles this summer.

That year-round thought process is also key for Ellicottville businesses.

Executive Director of the Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce Brian McFadden said, "We used to open Thanksgiving weekend, but lately it was around the 15th of December the last few years. In the past we really only had a winter season here. The summers weren't quite as busy as they are now, so folks used to have to rely more heavily on the early openings. But things have changed as businesses have streamlined to fill those summer and fall months."

McFadden said that the rain and the warmth didn't hurt the snow pack for Ellicottville all that much. In fact, resorts were able to make quite a bit of snow Tuesday and Wednesday night.

But businesses are still hopeful for a strong Christmas.