If I knew, I'd be a psychic. Or a millionaire. Or both.
I've been writing a LOT in here about the wacky weather we've had so far this winter. It's been warm, it's been wet, and the one thing it hasn't been is snowy. In fact, after it “snowed” yesterday, here's what downtown Marquette looked like--
There's less than an inch on the ground; after all, you can still see blades of grass poking though the flakes. There's not a lot in the forecast the next week or so, and that means certain people are getting close to having to make a decision on several events that are just a few weeks away--
The Ishpeming Ski Jumps & the Noquemanon Cross Country Ski Marathon.
Obviously, both of those events need snow to come off, and in the case of the Noque need quite a solid base of snow so groomers can lay down tracks. Yet, like I said, there's little if no snow on the ground, and whether the ski jumps—two weekends away—or the Noque—three weekends away—have enough could be quite problematic as the days draw down. I wish I knew whether or not the weather would cooperate.
But the way this winter's been going, I wouldn't want to venture a guess, even if I was a weather professional. The way it's going, it wouldn't surprise me if was 65 and sunny on Noque day. It really wouldn't.
Hopefully, this (the postponing or canceling of local winter events) does not become the norm. But it's not without precedent. A few years ago, the Noque was cut short because there wasn't any snow on the ground at the finish line in Marquette, and just last year the UP 200 was outright canceled because there was no snow anywhere. And it's not only the big events; ski resorts and hotels that depending upon snowmobilers for winter revenue are out of luck when the weather, as it increasingly does these days, goes wacky.
We'll have to see what's in store, snow-wise, in the next week or two. And if it's not, you know, snowy, I have the feeling we'll be hearing more bad news than good.
I really do.
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