The basis of the forecast is on the prediction that a weak La Nina will be forming this fall and continuing through the winter. Last year, we had a strong La Nina with blocking over Greenland that lead to a very snowy winter across the Midwest and Northeast. While the pattern will be similar to last year, there will be changes in the pattern that will lead to the heavy snow areas shown on the map.

I am not convinced that blocking will be prevalent across Greenland this winter, however, with the trough axis predicted to be in the Midwest, that will lead to storms developing along the East coast and racing northeast. The cold will be back in the Appalachians, and that will lead to heavy snow in that area. The major cities will probably be fighting many mix precip storms with the snow lovers along the I-95 corridor pulling their hair over heavy snow versus ice and rain.

A storm track coming out of the Rockies will lead to storms moving through the western Great Lakes and a band of above-normal snowfall across the Midwest and western Great Lakes.

I also went with an above-normal snow area along the Front Range of the Rockies due mainly to arctic air masses coming down from Alberta.

While overall, the winter will not be extremely cold for the country, it will be cold enough for ice concerns for areas from Oklahoma to North Carolina. Fronts may have a hard time making progress into the South simply due to this summer's heat dome hanging in across parts of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. The good news for that area, while above-normal temps will continue, we should see storms cutting through the southern Plains that will lead to much needed rainfall after a summer of extreme drought conditions.

The mountains in the West should see the normal amount of snow and not the extreme snow that fell last year.

Xtreme Snow Pros already knows a thing or two about being sustainable, but Owner Chris Marino recently found another way to push the green envelope. In an industry that requires the company to drive to clients’ residences and business places in order to measure properties for estimates, Chris recently found an online service that will save Xtreme Snow Pros time and money. The web-based company, offers a service which will allow Chris to map out and measure all of the land that Xtreme Snow Pros will be managing via high resolution photo-mapping taken by airplanes. 

The technology will allow Xtreme Snow Pros to bid on jobs more efficiently. A site which may have taken half an hour of onsite time can now be done in less than 10 minutes from any computer with internet connection.. Goilawn.com allows Xtreme Snow Pros to count the number of trees, measure the elevation changes on the potential site, find fire hydrants and electrical boxes, measure total area and much more.

The aerial photographs will be great for proposals; we can show each potential client exactly how we are going to clear their property, where snow will be pushed, stored or stacked, and on larger sites it allows us to coordinate with the property owner where we will be allowed to store equipment.

Along with cutting down on carbon emissions from driving to bid on sites, the electronic service allows Xtreme Snow Pros to e-mail all bids to customers which cuts down on paper use and increases efficiency. The electronic service is much faster and allows the company to contact customers faster than original snail mail.

This new web-based technology is allowing Xtreme Snow Pros to increase its sustainability and its business efficiency. Already a leader in its industry for sustainability, Xtreme Snow Pros continues looking for new ways to increase sustainability.