>>> despite a few cold snaps here and there, this winter is going down as the fourth warmest in 117 years. 80% of the country has had an above normal season. you can thank the jet stream that has been stuck in place, keeping cold air far to the north. that's been good news for city budgets, jobs and businesses big and small. we get the story tonight from nbc's tom costello.
>> reporter: from 60 and 70 degree days along the east coast to the crowded links in the midwest, for much of the country it has been a snowless winter. for proof look no further than the piles of unused salt and idle plows in boston . by this time last year, boston had already dug out of 73 inches of snow. so far this year, just 7 inches. of the $17 million it budgeted for snow removal , it used only $2 million. so rather than battle snow and ice, they declared war on another boston nemesis, potholes.
>> so far this winter we filled about 2500 potholes. we have used about 200 tons of asphalt.
>> reporter: lots of cities have been saving money on plows and salt. by this time in february, new york has usually cleared 19 inches of snow. this season, it only had 7 inches. buffalo normally has 76 inches by now, this year, just 33 inches. chicago, normally 28 by now. this year, 19. minneapolis, 39 is normal. 18 inches this year. and fargo usually has had 36 inches. this year, just 16. fewer snow days mean more days on the job. construction crews at the new boston tea party ships and museum project are running ahead of schedule.
>> last year we lost over 25 working days. this year we lost three. with that translates into is real savings for owners on projects.
>> reporter: it is happening across the country, 21,000 construction jobs added in january, 31,000 in december. and all those jobs helped bring the unemployment rate down. true, the season hasn't been kind to ski resorts , tow truck operators or folks who like to ice fish . but the weather channel 's jim c cantore says the warmup may be easier.
>> we may not see the flooding we had last year on all three of the major rivers in this country.
>> reporter: expect more bugs this spring, pollen too. but at jp licks ice cream , they're not complaining.
>> we're busier, 20% up over last year.
>> reporter: licking their way to a warm, profitable winter. tom costello, nbc news, boston .
Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/46534482/
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