So far, it has been easy to forget that it's winter. But the snow's hiatus is just about over with the first notable storm expected this week.
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation says their crews are already on alert. The salt barns open Monday, with 380,000 tons of road salt, 750,000 gallons of liquid de-icer and about 4,000 pieces of equipment on standby.
MassDOT expects the response this winter will be a lot smoother than last.
"People don't need me to remind them, that was a problem for a lot of people. But we are ready, I think the investments that the MBTA have made have been great," said highway administrator Tom Timlin. "We feel very confident reminding people that they should take the T."
And after last year, managers at stores that sell winter supplies say a lot of people also learned from their mistakes and prepared early.
"We are hearty New Englanders, so as time's going on, we've prepared and most people have prepared for this," said Christine Vitale, the operations manager of the Home Depot in Boston's West Roxbury neighborhood. "But as the days go on and the inches are starting to come down, everyone will start fluxing in that day."
"Tuesday morning's going to be the first test for everybody," said Timlin. "So if you waited until the last minute to go get the rock salt or the shovel because you were having Christmas dinner out on your back deck, now is the time to do it."
