It has yet to snow, and municipal officials who have spent the past couple of months cleaning up after the devastating floods in September couldn't be happier.
But if the snow does begin to fall, most Valley communities appear to have an ample supply of salt, and their trucks are armed with plows and ready to hit the streets.
National Weather Service Meteorologist Lee Hendricks said last year that we already had seen about 8 inches of snow by Dec. 12, and he said a normal snowfall by this time of year is 6.9 inches.
This year has been much different as the only recorded snow has been a trace on Thanksgiving, Hendricks said.
The fact that the jet stream has been in a southwest flow has contributed to the lack of snow, something Hendricks called "dumb luck on our part."
"We're a bit above the average temperatures right now," Hendricks said.
But he said the weather could drastically change within a week's time.
The long-term forecast indicates that the area should expect to be a little bit cooler and a little bit drier, Hendricks said.
Drier is a word many officials and residents who endured the torrential rains of Hurricane Ivan are certainly glad to hear.
Tarentum Borough's maintenance garage was under water and sustained heavy damage, but the salt supplies, which sit near the garage, were spared, Borough Manager Jeff Thomas said.
"It's still there," Thomas said. "We lost a little bit, but not too much."
The borough had to spend a lot of money on flood cleanup, but Thomas said they are awaiting a reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
East Deer Commissioner Chair Tony Taliani said the township also has spent most of its resources on flood cleanup and officials are hoping to be reimbursed by FEMA. as well. The fact that they had salt left over from last year should sustain the township if snow should fall.
New Kensington also had salt left over in its bin., according to City Clerk Dennis Scarpiniti.
"I think we have enough resources to combat until the end of the year," Scarpiniti said.
He said if it would happen to snow any time soon, crews would be ready.
Clinton Supervisor Donald Christy said the township has plenty of salt that it hasn't had to use. At this time last year, he said, the township already used 200 to 300 tons of salt.
"Our salt bins are overflowing," Christy said, "and ready to go."
