With official numbers still out, ‘madness’ continues
The madness still isn’t over.
After a snowfall brought eight inches — as of 7 a.m. today — to the National Weather Service monitoring station in Upton, the owner of Robert’s Jewelers in Southold said he’s not writing any “Snowfall Madness” checks to lucky customers just yet.
According to a NWS spokesman, 3.7 inches of snow fell between the hours of 7 p.m. and 1 a.m. in the area. However official measurements were not taken at 6 p.m. and midnight sharp.
In a phone call this morning, Mr. Scott explained that his insurance company must receive verification that it snowed at least three inches between the hours of 6 p.m. and midnight Jan. 2 not from NWS, but from Weather Command, an Illinois-based environmental and forecasting service Mr. Scott said monitors snowfall at Brookhaven National Lab in Upton.
Due to inclement weather conditions, Brookhaven National Lab is closed today.
“We won’t know positively for at least one or two days,” Mr. Scott said of snowfall measurements. “I have the feeling we hit it, but it’s close.”
Snowfall Madness, a promotion Robert’s Jewelers has run for the past 21 years, makes this deal with customers: buy any piece of jewelry before the holidays and then choose from a selection of dates in late December or early January, the promotion’s rules state. If it snows three inches or more between the hours of 6 p.m. and midnight on your chosen date, Mr. Scott will refund your purchase.
Yesterday, the longtime jeweler said at least several thousands of dollars were on the line.
“I have one gentleman who bought a $7,000 engagement ring who’s going to get his money back if it snows,” he said.
Last night, Mr. Scott said, he was glued to his television set watching weather reports.
“I stayed up till 12 o’clock and listened to every news organization that I could listen to,” he said. “And nobody could give me any definite answers as to snowfall amounts.”
Joe Picca, a NWS spokesman, said that much like Mr. Scott, he believes a payout will be coming soon after hearing about the promotion.
“Based upon what we’re seeing across most of Suffolk it looks like it met the criteria,” Mr. Picca said.
On Jan. 3, Mr. Scott said he has “mixed emotions” about the extreme likelihood he will, for the first time in the two-plus decades he has run the promotion, be obliged to refund eligible customers. But, he said, he’s excited by the prospect.
“It would be nice to pay out,” he said. “It really would.”
