Hard-Hit Westminster Cleaning Up After Biggest Snow In Years

WESTMINSTER, Md. (WJZ) -- The big dig is underway across Maryland, but winter's wrath isn't over yet. More snow could be on the way.

Derek Valcourt explains Carroll County saw the heaviest snow in the region.

It may be Valentine's Day, but you won't find much love for winter right now in Carroll County. But now, folks are cleaning up after the biggest snow they've had in years.

Reporter: "What's the hardest part of shoveling all this?"

Resident: "I think just the weight. Picking up all that weight over and over and over again. It's almost like carpal tunnel for your back I guess."

That deep, heavy snow made clearing the roads a challenge.

"A thousand miles of road is a lot to cover," said Doug Howard, Carroll County Commissioner.

County leaders are proud of their response to this snow, just one week after an ice storm knocked out power to half the county residents.

"The real challenge is these back-to-back storms put a tremendous toll on the staff. They put a tremendous toll on equipment," Howard said.

The problem with two feet of snow is where to put it. Two feet of snow can pile up really high really quick.

"It's getting to the point there's no place to pile it any higher. So we're just making a path, and when it melts, we'll make the path bigger," said Lee Arbaugh.

All that snow temporarily stopped almost all business in Carroll County.

"It was just the worst timing for us as florists," said Wendy Vaught, The Flower Box II.

Shuttering the day before Valentine's is painful to the financial bottom line of businesses like The Flower Box.

"We lost a day of delivery, we lost a day of walk-ins. Our kiosk in the mall didn't get opened up," Vaught said.

Now many are dreaming of warmer weather and the melt that comes with it.

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