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Irmo, S.C. (WACH) - 24 inches of snow fell near the border of Sumter and Clarendon counties on February 9th, 1973; that is the largest 24-hour snowfall event in state history.  Not an inch of snow has fallen this winter in the Midlands and that is good news for those in the lawn care business.
 
Caulie George and his father are cutting a swath through this quiet Irmo neighborhood in the middle of February.  They’re not usually clipping hedges this early in the year; but unseasonably warm temperatures are keeping them busy.

"About every 3rd year, within 3 years you're going to have an odd winter," said George Sr.  "They don't always come the same, and then every seven years you have a winter that you don't normally experience."
 
"Normally people wait until the spring time," adds George's son.  "But the weather has been so mild, we've been able to get a lot more done this time of the year."

Both father and son are expecting to get even more work this winter months ahead of schedule.

"So far we've had about 22 days below freezing and that's well below average," said State Climatologist Hope Mizzell.  "The average from about December to this point is 32."

Mizzell says the weather phenomenon in the pacific known as “La Nina” is pushing warm air back east.

But you won't hear the Georges complaining about the weather.  "It definitely helps, because it's tough to make a living."

George may want to get all his landscaping work in quickly as temperatures are expected to plummet this weekend.