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December 21, 2004 Record-Eagle/Douglas Tesner Cars line up on 14th Street in Traverse City Monday afternoon, as snow and wind create slow driving conditions.
A white Christmas? No problemWinter weather hammers areaBy Record-Eagle staff writer TRAVERSE CITY - Suddenly, it's the dead of winter, but Traverse City seems to have shrugged, bundled up and shopped despite the bad conditions. In fact, it's perfect weather for "warm, furry hats," said Phil Anderson, owner of Diversions in downtown Traverse City, where such toppers are flying off the racks. "Since the head is the biggest area for heat loss, people like to cover their heads," he said. "And they forget about them until it gets cold." An early winter storm was expected to dump several inches of snow on the region and the pre-Christmas forecast is for more snow, wind and temperatures as low as 7 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the Gaylord National Weather Service. But that's a good sign for businesses like Good Harbor Coffee and Bakery, where chilly customers turn to winter favorites like mocha, said employee Rachel Lewis.  Record-Eagle/Douglas Tesner Judi Bass, Polly Sonneveldt, and her son, Spencer, 13, from left, walk down Front Street in falling snow while Christmas shopping. "The snow will not stop us," Polly Sonneveldt said. By Monday, Traverse City had seen 12.9 inches of snow, with more on the way. The average December snowfall is 24.1 inches, according to historical data from Cherry Capital Airport. Bryan Adams, a meteorologist at the Gaylord National Weather Service, said the snowfall this winter is right on track. "The past few years we've had a couple of Decembers that were pretty brown, with not a lot of snowfall," he said. "This December it looks like a lot of folks across northern Michigan will be seeing a white Christmas." David VanOcker, owner of Union Street Station, said he's had to salt the sidewalk in front of his restaurant and bar more often this year than last. Heavy snow over the weekend kept people at home, VanOcker said, but sales are ahead of last year's pace and he's expecting business to increase soon. "It's that time of year," he said. "Everybody's spending their money." Ben Cavender, a ski patroller and instructor at Crystal Mountain near Thompsonville, said early season skiing has been a hit this year. "As soon as they opened they had awesome business," he said. "I have two sisters on the ski instructing team, and they've been swamped. As soon as the snow hits, all the diehards are on the slopes." Cavender said skiers lined up to hit the Crystal Mountain slopes as early as 7:30 a.m. Monday. Although the snow is a blessing for winter sports enthusiasts, it can also make for dangerous road conditions. Cavender said slow driving almost made him late to Boyne Country Sports, where he also works. "Driving definitely hasn't been as good as the skiing," he said. "It's good to be cautious, but don't be ridiculous."
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