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Where's The Snow? Last Year's Average Was 11 Inches

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- If you think there should be more snow on the ground by now, you're right.

After the few inches that fell Saturday, we're still a few inches behind where we normally are.

Thanks to a fresh coating of snow, it was first come, first serve Sunday morning at Fratallone's Ace Hardware on Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis.

"We have a lot more customers coming in looking for last minute shovels, salt," said the store's Assistant Manager Nick Tannehill.

The store ships thousands of pounds of rock salt to customers, which include apartment complexes and hospitals.

By Dec. 4, there's usually a lot more snow on the ground than there is now.

The average by this time of year is more than 11 inches. With the four-plus inches that fell Saturday night at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, it doesn't quite add up to 8 inches.

Some spent the Sunday morning scraping away at the sidewalk.

"I'd rather not have people slipping and falling more than they normally would," says Sarah Hargroder, who was clearing the sidewalk outside her apartment on Blaisdell Avenue.

The fresh snow is also reminding families, it's time to pick out a Christmas tree.

The mood fit the season at B&J Trees in Woodbury.

"We were thinking it was almost too early to go get a tree, but really it's not because (Christmas is) almost here," says Jeannette Henrikssen, who came to pick out a tree with her family.

Snow blowers have been in such high demand this season, that some hardware stores can't get certain models. Managers say that's because people don't want to be caught off guard after the blizzard on Dec. 11, 2010.

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