Meteorologists are predicting a wetter than average winter for Michigan, with some areas already getting pelted with close to five feet of snow or more since late November.
The snowy weather has been a boon for the winter tourism industry, which has been hurt by recent unseasonably warm winters.
“Last year was a learning experience for everybody seeing that it was probably the worst winter on record,” said Mike Panich, executive director for the Michigan Snow Sports Industries Association. He added that the influx of snow has been a big boost for snowboarding and skiing resorts, specifically.
"Everybody is looking forward to the positive outlook for this winter. This early season snowfall has been a great benefit to the industry. It's gotten a lot of people kick started.”
Panich says that resorts across the state are opening earlier. He said that Mount Bohemia in the Upper Peninsula and Swiss Valley in southwest Michigan are both open earlier than expected.
“The enthusiasm on the slopes has been outstanding so far,” Panich added.
Last year was the warmest winter on record for the state of Michigan, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The unseasonal temperatures in 2023 lead federal officials to offer emergency loans for businesses in 42 Michigan counties to help cover losses related to warm winter temperatures.
Lake effect snow is expected to dump another foot of snow in some areas this week.
