MONTROSE -- For Randy and Jamie Loch of Springville, a snow day in Susquehanna County doesn't mean a day off. For them, it's actually a day to get things done.
"We had some errands to run. We figured there wouldn't be much traffic so we thought it was a good day to do it," Randy Loch said.
He was right about that. With schools and many businesses closed for the day because of the snow, just about the only vehicles on the road on Church Street in Montrose were plow trucks.
People were also out shoveling, of course, braving the elements too.
"I do various stops around town. I help people out. I clean their sidewalks. I've been doing this a long time. It's good for me. It's good exercise," said Dan Calby.
If you've lived in this part of northeastern Pennsylvania your whole life, you know the deal when it comes to snow.
"We always seem to get the most, because we're right on the New York border too," Calby said.
"I don't know how to snowboard or ski or anything like that so it's no fun for me. My kids like it though, so that's the positive part of it. They like going out and sledding," Kiah Ivey said.
The name of the game for this winter storm is just what time that warmer air from the south moves in. At higher elevations like Montrose, people are used to it taking a little bit longer.
Newswatch 16 checked on the temperature every hour since 11 a.m. and sleet did eventually mix in with the snow by the afternoon.
"Snow is a lot easier to push than sleet," Calby said.
Keeping an eye on the radar, it did take longer for that wintry mix changeover than areas farther south, so like most other storms, snowfall totals were higher this time, too.
"We're not getting half the snow we used to get back in the '60s and '70s, We used to have mountains of snow out here on the avenue, but this is nice. We're finally getting some snow. Sleet is moving in," Calby added.
The place to get the ice melt was at Andre & Son True Value just outside Montrose. The manager says this is one of the biggest storms they've had so far this winter.
"It hasn't been a really snowy winter, but it has been a really cold winter. I think everybody can't wait for spring, and neither can we," Jay Brown said.
Employees say as soon as they saw the forecast, they stocked up on all of the winter essentials and it was a good thing because folks stopped in looking for them.
"We sold quite a few shovels already. Not sure where their shovel went from last year. They disappear we'll call it."
While you may get away with waiting until the last minute to buy your shovels or salt, waiting until February to have your snow tires put on, isn't the best idea.
"See the problem is, they make snow tires in the summertime, so by the time you get this late in the season, it's hard to find snow tires to be able to put on your car," said Josh Strohl at Kost Tire and Auto.
Employees at Kost Tire and Auto were busy working on police cars and fleet vehicles that have to work in the snow, but most customers who had appointments to get their snow tires put on canceled. Still, the staff at Kost says it's been a busy week leading up to the winter storm.
"People knew the snow was coming, so that's why. If they didn't know the snow was coming, we probably wouldn't have been as busy the last couple of days," Strohl said.