Snowy season brings benefits to ski resorts, businesses

YumaSun.com > News: "PHOENIX (AP) -- After years of crippling drought, steady winter snowstorms have brought Arizona its best ski season in recent years, allowing ski resorts to open early while boosting sales for winter sports businesses. With the forecast calling for snow showers through the weekend and snow storms next week, skiers and snowboarders will likely see a white winter beyond the holidays. 'We've had a good winter so far, there is snow in the right places and people are happy,' said David Eichler, a spokesman for the Arizona Office of Tourism. This season to date, Flagstaff has received 37 inches of snow, compared to 1.2 inches of snow for the same time last season, said Ben Peterson, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service. Last year's lackluster ski season caused the"