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Sask. record-breaking hot temperatures not good news for everyone

Click to play video: 'Impact of record-breaking temperatures in Regina'
Impact of record-breaking temperatures in Regina
WATCH ABOVE: With record-breaking temperatures, Regina residents are no doubt basking in sunshine. But as Christa Dao explains, not everyone is happy with the warm spell and it could even cost some businesses millions of dollars. – Nov 9, 2016

A 129-year-old heat record was broken in Regina Wednesday afternoon, with temperatures reaching a high of 21 degrees Celsius.

READ MORE: 129-year-old heat record broken in Regina

The warm weather is good news for farmers who are still working to get their remaining crops into the bin.

But for other industries that are also heavily weather dependent, the warm spell is a concern.

Mission Ridge Ski Hill in Fort Qu’Appelle is scheduled to open Nov. 26, but if the warm trend continues, their opening may be delayed.

“By this time this year, these machines behind me should be blowing tons of snow all over the place, but they’re not,” owner and general manager Don Williams said.

“I’m always very concerned at this time of year. There’s lots of pieces that have to come together to make it all work out,” he said.

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Williams said he needs ten days of below freezing temperatures to make enough snow to cover the hill.

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He estimates that for every week the ski hill isn’t open, their losses will be in the range of $250,000.

“Our chairlifts have to be in place, all our snow guns have to work properly and all the pumps down at the lake, there’s many pieces that have to work for us, including the weather which is the big one.”

Other heavily weather-dependent industries, like Alsport Sales, are also waiting on winter.

The shop had recently changed over their inventory to snowmobiles for the season.

Alsport Sales owner Darcey Shaw said buyers are not even thinking about winter.

“We don’t see the snowmobilers in here when it’s plus 20,” he laughed.

Despite the above-average temperatures, Shaw said he isn’t hitting the panic button yet.

“We’ll see a lack of snowmobile clothing sales for sure, but like I said, we just need snow by mid-December and it’ll all be alright,” Shaw said.

Shaw said he’s optimistic buyers will come when the Mercury drops.

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“It’s probably good that the farmers can get all their work done and I think if they’re happy, that’ll make us happy later on down the road,” he said.

“Our farm community, they like their snow mobiles. They like their toys.”

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