FOREST CITY -- After one of the warmest years on record, 2016 is here and with it, cold winter weather in northeastern and central Pennsylvania.
"I'm looking forward to ice fishing. Probably six weeks because we don't have any ice to begin with yet, so probably middle of February, we're ice fishing,” said Luke Brown of Simpson, Lackawanna County.
The past few months have been unseasonably mild, but the forecast shows winter weather has arrived and it's likely here to stay for the season.
In Forest City, the air was frosty and the snow was falling Friday evening.
"I don't mind the cold weather. I worked outside all my life, but I'm enjoying this winter! I don't have to be shoveling snow,” laughed Dave Kerzic of Forest City.
Elk Mountain is not far away from Forest City and folks say not having the cold temperatures and the snow has hurt the local economy. They're hoping the winter-like weather brings it back.
"I think it's about time we had the cold weather! It's January and we live in northeastern Pennsylvania and actually we had someone in my store today was here from Philadelphia. They came to go skiing. There was no skiing, so they came shopping, which they should have been here skiing,” said Paul Daugevelo of Ros-Al Floral in Forest City.
"I was out last night socially and there wasn't a lot of people around and everyone was talking, there's no snow, there's no skiers, there's nobody up here. So we really need to have the cold weather here now. We need the snow to survive,” said Christopher Glinton of Ros-Al Floral.
Skiers and snowboarders are happy about the arrival of colder conditions.
Some resorts in our area plan to open in the coming days. Here's a list if you're looking to hit the slopes:
Jack Frost/Big Boulder | One Slope, One Lift |
Camelback Mountain Resort | January 4 |
Shawnee Mountain | January 6 |
Montage Mountain Resort | January 9 |
Elk Mountain Ski Resort | Making Snow, No Opening Day Yet |
Blue Mountain | Making Snow, No Opening Day Yet |
Alpine Mountain Resort | No Opening Day Yet |