Public Works Celebrates No-Snow November

Press release from the City of Peoria:

The city of Peoria did not encounter significant snowfall or accumulation in November as it has in years past. This is the first time the cold season has not swept through prematurely in several years and forced Public Works into action.

“This is atypical. We usually have snow by Thanksgiving Day. This is starting out to be a different kind of snow season,” said Sie Maroon, Public Works Deputy Director of Operations. “We’re keeping our fingers crossed, because the longer the snow holds off, the more savings we can realize.”

Maroon took to the National Weather Service local data records to see how this November stacks up against previous falls where Old Man Winter arrived a bit early.

Past Early Snowfalls in Fall:

Month & Year
# of Snow Events
# of Inches

October 2019
One
3.9 inches

November 2019
Two
6.2 inches

November 2018
Five
9.3 inches

While the lack of snow may seem uneventful, the benefits to a delayed winter season are beneficial to residents and the City.

“If we don’t have snow – we save,” said Maroon. “From liquid brine, to fuel, to equipment and pavement wear and tear – it all adds up to fewer resources being used and fewer dollars being spent.”

The City’s salt supply is another resource that has gone untapped this fall. Normally the Department would have used up 500 to 1,000 tons of salt at this point during a typical November. Instead, the current supply remains on standby.

Another win for Peoria is that without our Snow Fighters plowing snow, construction and preventative maintenance work can continue. That means crews are still out asphalt patching and street sweeping this week which makes for better roads overall.

For more information about the winter weather season and Public Works’ prep work, visit peoriagov.org/public-works/winter. The site contains helpful resources including street routes, contact numbers, and a list of nonprofit services available in the community.

This press release was produced by the City of Peoria. The views expressed here are the author’s own.