Mild winter to last through January

By DAVID SKOLNICK

skolnick@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

About an inch or so of snow is likely between late tonight and Thursday, but it’s been a mild winter so far, and that trend is expected through this month.

Only 3.7 inches of snow fell in the Mahoning Valley in December, when the average snow accumulation for that month is 15 inches. In December 2017, 19 inches of snow was recorded; 23.3 inches fell in December 2016; and 0.8 of an inch fell in December 2015.

“It’s definitely been a mild winter for the Youngstown area so far,” said Patrick Saunders, a meteorologist with the

National Weather Service.

Snow is expected to start falling late tonight. and it’s likely to fall on and off Wednesday with a chance of snow Thursday, Saunders said.

Accumulation is only expected to be about an inch combined, he said.

Also, the long-range forecast for January predicts below normal precipitation for the area for the month, Saunders said.

Normal snowfall in January for the area is 16.6 inches.

The area’s average snowfall for the winter season is 62.7 inches.

In 2017-2018, the area had 81.3 inches of snow.

It was 69.5 inches in 2016-2017, and 44.7 inches in 2015-2016, Saunders said.

The most snow for the area was in 2010-2011 with 118.7 inches. The least was in 1941-1942 with 18.7 inches.

The lack of snow has impacted sales of snow blowers at Do-Cut Sales & Services in Boardman, said Jay Curry, its manager.

“It’s a lot trickier to sell snow blowers when it’s 50 degrees,” he said with a laugh. “But we still have a lot of time to sell snow blowers.”

Curry, however, points out that the sale of chain saws has increased.

“Because of the mild winter and because we’ve had winds, people have been doing cleanups,” he said. “Chainsaws have been selling very well. It’s a silver lining.”