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Rain and warm temps keep area ski resorts closed

Last night's rainfall was not a welcome sound for Peter Harris, owner of Song Mountain in Tully.

"If it had been snow, we would have been dancing in the streets," Harris said this morning.

The rain and the overall warm temperatures to kick off the winter months have kept Song and other ski resorts in central New York mostly closed so far this season.

Harris' other mountain, Snow Ridge on Tug Hill is also short on snow. Greek Peak Resort and Toggenburg Resort are closed this week.

Song was able to open with a few runs on Saturday, but it had to close back down after that. Mid-December is the average time Song opens for the season, but Harris says the snow pack is below normal.

"We’ve had three nights of snow making so far, which given that it’s December 18, that’s not a very good track record," he said.

Resorts across the Northeast suffered through a winter last year plagued with a lack of snow. Harris said it's frustrating that this winter is off to a bad start too.

Still, Harris is optimistic things will pick up for next week when the holidays usher in the peak of ski season.

"The temperatures in the jet stream are about to dip so we’re looking for a major change," he forecasted. "So the winter’s not over. The old adage is ‘you never know until you know,’ so I have my fingers crossed this still will turn into a decent winter."

With more than 100 seasonal employees, Harris says he and the staff are staying busy with training and other preparations.