Record warmth has Chicago area ski lodge prepping for possible early start to golf season

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Chicago set a record high temperature on Friday, as the mercury at O'Hare International Airport hit 57°, the warmest temperature on record for Feb. 9. But not everyone welcomed the warm weather.

For some ski hills in Chicagoland, staff said it's forced their plans to veer off course. At Villa Olivia in Bartlett, snow machines can't keep up.

With snow tubes on the grass, and puddles near their ski hills, Villa Olivia staff said they know they might be in the minority hoping for the end to this warm run. Supervisor Bobby Pierobon openly wished for more winterlike weather.

"Bring it on. I want it back," he said.

Villa Olivia had to cancel this week's snow sports, when they would normally expect big crowds.

"We see 500-plus on the slopes as well as about 500-plus on tubing," Pierobon said. "When the weather doesn't cooperate, it makes our season shorter. It makes it hard."

Staff said they have 11 snow guns that put out 800 gallons of water per minute, but that is not enough to keep up with these temperatures.

To make the most of the warm spell, they were shifting staff, having some come in early for golf course maintenance.

Villa Olivia employees Nick Sisto and Jeremy Peacock normally wouldn't even be awake in the middle of the day during the first week of February. They normally work the night shift, starting round 9 or 10 p.m., to make the snow for skiers and tubers. Instead, on Friday, the two were installing new signage for the golf course.

Pierobon said they've moved some schedules around, and cancelled hours for some seasonal workers – whatever they can to adapt to the weather.

"So, right now, we have our crew cleaning up the front nine, just in case we aren't going to continue with winter sports after Presidents' Day weekend; and that way we are open for the front nine for our golf enthusiasts," he said.