Kathleen Horan
Kathleen Horan has worked at WNYC Radio since 2001 and been a reporter in the newsroom since 2006.
Warm Winter Leaves Snow Clean-up Resources Unused
Wednesday, February 01, 2012 - 08:36 PM
WNYC
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A runner makes the most of the unseasonably warm weather. (Kathleen Horan/WNYC)
What a difference a year makes.
Last year was the snowiest January in the city’s history according to Vito Turso, Sanitation Department Deputy Commissioner. “More than three feet fell last January compared with only 4.3 inches last month,” said Turso.
t's the first of February....but it might as well be spring.
Temperatures reached a high of 61 degrees in Central Park.
In Brooklyn, Sheryl McKerrigan spent part of her day sitting outside on a cafe bench. She says she likes the mild temperature, but says it also feels odd.
[CutID: <DAVID:DigaSystem\NEWS>PB8-RHAKE_3174060A31C944E4B1D4838F6D6B16B0.wav
Time: 10s
Title: news20120201_Warm Weather vox_McKerrigan
Out-cue: ] [I've been in NY for many many years and this is strange we should have snow there should be snow on the ground and Im wearing a coat I would normally only wear in the spring and the fall.]
Tomorrow, though, it'll cool down a bit... it'll be partly sunny with highs expected in the 40's.
It also means that the money set aside to deal with winter weather hasn’t been used much this year. The city has set aside $43 million in this year’s snow budget, according the mayor’s office. It’s an increase from the $39 million the city set aside last winter for snow removal. In actuality, it spent $124 million trying to keep up with all the storms.
This year, the Sanitation Department also had 230,000 tons of rock salt on hand to spread along the five boroughs' 6,000 miles of streets during winter snow storms that did not materialize.
If the salt isn’t needed Turso said it can last several seasons. “We cover it up with tarps or it store indoors at 35 different locations around the city.”
As for the money, if this year’s snow funds don’t get spent, the mayor's office said it’ll be used to fill in budget gaps.
The first day of February looked more like May Day along the Brooklyn Bridge with joggers in shorts and cyclists in T-shirts on Wednesday.
Brooklyn Heights resident Alan Luks, 85, said the 60 degree day inspired him to get out of the house.
“I think it’s wonderful, it sort of brings back a summer kind of feeling," he said. "The weather kind of stimulated me a little bit more to definitely take the walk.”
A prediction on whether the unseasonably warm weather will continue will commence on Thursday morning, when local rodent Staten Island Chuck will partake in Groundhog Day rituals. If Chuck ventures out from his digs at the Staten island Zoo and sees his shadow, a longer winter is expected.
Manhattan resident Wilburt Turner who was soaking up spring-like rays on 6th Avenue in Greenwich Village on Wednesday said he expects an early spring. “I don’t think he’ll see his shadow — not at all!”
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