WBTV 3 News, Weather, Sports, and Traffic for Charlotte, NCCelebrating winter, without much winter

Celebrating winter, without much winter

BLOWING ROCK, NC  (WBTV) – What a difference a year makes.  This time last January, much of North Carolina was still in a deep freeze with many parts of the mountains covered in snow and ice.

This year, the only snow is on the slopes at the ski resorts, with most of that man-made.

"It has been a strange winter, "said Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce Events Planner Billie Rogers.

Rogers has been busy helping to get the annual Winterfest Celebration under way. Events were scheduled to start Thursday night with a dinner and then the outside activities will gear up through Sunday.

"We would love to have snow but we will be fine and plenty of people will have fun."

One of the highlights for Winterfest every year is the Polar Plunge into Lake Chetola at the resort of the same name.

"Most years our grounds crew has to go out and drill a hole in the ice," said Marketing Manager Marsha Greene.

This year, there's no ice at all covering the lake and none expected before the big event. Greene thinks that's why they have a record number of people signed up. "We have a hundred so far."

Rainy weather is expected overnight and into Friday morning and is not expected to impact the activities this weekend. Some colder weather is expected along with the possibility of snow flurries Saturday night.

Some are worried, though, that any heavy rain could cause problems at the ski areas. Nearby, Appalachian Ski Mountain is expecting a good crowd Saturday.

Cold weather last week allowed the resort to make several feet of snow so the slopes are in good shape, despite the past few days of unseasonably warm weather.

Heavy rain could accelerate the melting, if it comes.  Officials say they will just have to wait and see but they are optimistic the slopes will stay in good shape and cold weather moving in Saturday night will allow them to build the snowpack back up.

Despite the warmer than normal January, most folks in the Blowing Rock area are quick to point out that winter is far from over. Many point to 1993 when the weather was so warm ski slopes shut down in mid-February.

In March of that year record snowfalls hit. "We have plenty of time left for blizzards," said one woman.