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A grader clears snow on the streets of Prince Albert (file photo/paNOW staff)
Snow business

P.A. ready for winter no matter how white

Sep 3, 2019 | 3:00 PM

Despite predictions for a very snowy winter, city crews said their pre-season preparations will continue as usual, while local snowmobilers are hoping the latest predictions from the Farmer’s Almanac come true.

“When you look at forecasts even a week ahead, well that can change three times before it gets here,” Roadways Manager Brent Kennedy told paNOW.

P.A. has a fleet of about half a dozen snow-clearing machines, with additional contractors called in every year. The city will begin outfitting its machines near the end of September, so they can be out on the roads by mid-October if need be.

While his team monitors different weather systems throughout the winter, Kennedy said most decisions come down to the night before.

“We don’t need a lot of time to get ready for what we do,” he said.

Meanwhile, the prospect of higher than average snowfalls with warmer than average temperatures has local snowmobilers feeling extra hopeful about the coming winter.

“If we have our temperatures around -15 (Celsius) and a good amount of snow to deal with, that’s perfect riding temperatures for snowmobilers, that’s exactly what we like,” President of the Prince Albert Trailriders, Gerry Dolezar said.

The group hopes to have Prince Albert’s extensive network of snowmobile trails open before Christmas.

Dolezar said no one would be more excited than snowmobilers if the weather predictions are true, but he’s still cautious in his enthusiasm.

“We have to kind of take it as it comes, we’re hoping for the best,” he said.

alison.sandstrom@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alisandstrom

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