MIDDLE SMITHFIELD TOWNSHIP -- Usually this time of year we are bundled up with hats, gloves, scarves and winter coats. This December it’s been spring jacket weather and there’s no snow on the ground.
This weather is changing things for tourists here in the Poconos.
It’s beginning to look a lot like spring in the Poconos. This warm snap has kept tourists off the ski hills pining for snow.
"It's December, you're supposed to be coming to ski and I think in people's minds if you don't see snow or we can't even make the snow it's like Christmas morning without presents," said Liz Richardson, Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau.
But the visitors bureau points out there’s still plenty to do. Just look up in the trees at Fernwood Resort to the Pocono Tree Venutre’s playground high in the sky.
"We had about a 150 people on Saturday and on Sunday with the 70-degree weather. We had almost 200 people come through which is usually at least double or triple of what we`re used to in the winter time,” said Pocono Tree Ventures Manager Brandon Hodakoski.
There’s several tree-top courses and zip lines all running full speed ahead on weekends and throughout the Christmas break.
"We all love coming out here in the trees so we're not complaining to be honest,” said Hodakoski.
Just because these snow machines aren't fired up just yet, doesn't mean you can't go tubing in the Poconos.
"It's really simulating snow tubing without any of the snow. We haven't been lucky enough to get any this year,” said golf course and tubing supervisor Daro Zukowski.
Blue Lightening takes you on an about 30 mile per hour ride down a hill and will be open and operating until the white stuff covers the ground.
Vacation experts say many folks are starting to think outside the box rather than bag a wintertime vacation.
"We're finding that people are pretty surprised that there are still things to do it just isn't necessarily what they thought they were coming for,” said Richardson.
If you want to weather-proof your vacation entirely, there’s plenty of indoor waterparks to be found out this way.
We’re also told in order to get those ski hills white, we need three nights of below freezing temperatures in a row.