Wednesday, January 11, 2012

The warm, brown winter that has disappointed snow lovers in much of the U.S. has put more green in the pockets of state and local governments.

Many communities are getting a welcome break after their budgets were busted last year by the high cost of plowing and running roaring furnaces.

Cities that normally spend millions on road salt, sand and snowplows are happily saving the money for other purposes. Some are even taking advantage of the mild weather to carry on with outdoor
projects that would usually have to wait until spring.

For virtually the entire season, cold air has been bottled up over Canada. The Pacific Ocean cooling known as La Nina has nudged
the jet stream farther north.