Snow Daze

Are you prepared?

by Nina A. Koziol

Welcome to the year

of El Niño. We haven’t had an El Niño since 2020. We’re heading into a periodic warming of water that straddles the equator in the Pacific Ocean. When sea-surface temperatures in that region reach 0.9 degrees Fahrenheit above average for at least a month and are accompanied by changes in the atmosphere it could impact snow fall this winter. And that can mean extra jobs for your firm.

El Niño and La Niña are the warm and cool phases of a recurring climate pattern across the tropical Pacific. The pattern can shift back and forth irregularly every two to seven years, and each phase triggers predictable disruptions of temperature, precipitation, and winds. These changes disrupt the large-scale air movements in the tropics, triggering a cascade of global weather-related side effects.

If only we had a crystal ball.

Will this be the year of The Big Snow? Will we be fooled by our favorite meteorologist again? Time will tell, but you’d better be prepared.

Bob Bertog, president of Bertog Landscape in Wheeling, has been preparing for snow seasons for the past 45 years. Despite the heat, humidity and summer storms, he starts prepping for Snow Ops on July 1. “Don’t wait too long to get started,” Bertog cautions. “We’re already preparing the contracts for renewal and the crews are working on the snow equipment now in addition to the daily maintenance of the landscape equipment.”

Snow Ops 101

Bertog shared his thoughts about the basics of snow operations for those looking to start out or expand their business.

Q: What’s something first-time contractors miss?

I’m a big believer that if you’re going to do snow, do it to make money and do it well — not just to keep your guys busy in the winter. Most important — know your costs. Too many people charge $75 an hour for a pick up truck and they have no idea what it is costing them to operate it. It’s not just buying a pickup and a plow. You have to know your costs—the cost and the wear and tear on the truck. If you only have one truck and you think you’re going to make tons of money, you’d better think again. What if it breaks down—do you have a back up plan? If you have a friend who has a truck ask if they can be a back up — it’s like insurance.

If you’re already in the snow business and you want to go to the next level, you don’t have to be high end to make money, but you do have to know your costs. And there’s the (continued on page 20)