Economic blizzards welcome

Snow, snow and more snow.

Mother nature seems to be dead-set on paying us back for the winter we didn't have last year.

Digging out cars and scraping windshields can get tedious.

Changing plans because of treacherous roads can be a drag.

And then, there is always the dreaded shoveling, snow blowing and sanding. 

It's no secret that even tough, life-long Mainers have been known to gripe and moan about the snow, the cold and the darkness. That's why, no doubt, so many flee to southern climes during the harshest months.

For those in Maine's snow-dependent economy however, the quiet of falling snow could might as well be the "ca-ching" of a cash register.

Our state's economy depends on tough, snow-heavy winters to bring people to our trails, mountains and lakes.

Snowmobilers need a good coating on their trails; skiers and snowmobilers also need slopes full of the white stuff; ice fishermen like a solid freeze on ponds and lakes.

At an even more local level, big storms mean extra cash for the independent snow plowers.

For those industries, a good winter means extra revenue. For big employers like ski resorts, it means hiring on extra workers, bringing even more benefits to local economies.

Last year, all those industries suffered. There was no snow to go snowmobiling on; ski resorts shut down early; even sales of winter apparel from companies like L.L. Bean took a hit.

It's not pocket change either –  according to some estimates, the economic impact of the ski and snowmobile industries on the state is half a billion dollars, on a good year.

For a state that is, we are constantly reminded, struggling economically, a big snow storm means even bigger business. It means jobs, cash flow, growth –  or at least not decline.

So the next time we find ourselves grumbling under our breath about having to shovel, we should take a second and remember that without the snow, we might have much more serious things to grumble about.

The Advertiser Democrat Editorial Board