NEENAH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Usually, warmer weather tends to draw people to outdoor activities. But with the lack of cold, snow, and ice around the area this year – people seem to be staying indoors.
“Get outside and enjoy the weather while you can. Even though it’s not cold, people can still get out and be active,” urges Neenah Parks and Recreation Director Michael Kading, “People want it to happen. People yell at you when you try to make it happen. You’ve just got to roll with the punches.”
Telling people to get outside and enjoy nice weather in the latter days of December seems like a strange request, but Kading says there appears to be a reason behind the lack of excitement.
It isn’t just Rudolph being left out of the reindeer games this season. Most people aren’t taking part in the traditional ice skating and sledding – but this year, it’s because there is nothing to skate or sled on when you go outside.
Kading explains that local hills and rinks will be prepared once Mother Nature decides to cooperate.
“We got a little bit of snow early on, so people could get out and do some sledding. But what we really need is that good, hard freeze – and we need a week of it to really get that ice going,” Kading says, “We will try once the weather turns, but we need that six inches of frost, we need some overnight lows in the single digits or lower, and highs in the teens by day. And patience.”
Most ski and tubing hills have the ability to make their own snow. There are also indoor and outdoor skating rinks around the area that are privately maintained.
But if you’re only planning to hit the neighborhood hills and smaller rinks, it will be a waiting game until the weather conditions are just right.
