BILLINGS - Snow removal businesses hit the streets of Billings on Thursday morning after the area saw its first big snowstorm of 2024.
So far, the winter has been off to a slow start in terms of snowfall and many of these businesses, like Jayret Lawn and Landscaping, were thrilled at the opportunity to work.
The owner of Jayret Lawn and Landscaping, Jayson Leinwand, said he got started early in the morning Thursday to start cleaning up the snow.
"We started at 3:30 this morning," Leinwand said as he plowed MorningStar Senior Living facility on the west end of Billings. "Today, with the amount of snow, it's looking like a pretty long day. For me, at least a 12-hour shift."
Leinwand said the day was going to be long, but he wasn't upset and said he and his team always stay prepared.
"We always have got to be ready to go now," Leinwand said. "It's just the name of the game for snow removal."
Leiwand's crew was more than ready on Thursday. His business also handles lawn care in Billings and he said transitioning back and forth between seasons can be a challenge.
"We had that October snowfall this year that we dealt with," Leinwand said. "It was kind of a headache because we had to transition to snow and then back to leaves."
This winter has been especially difficult for Leinwand. After that October storm, the snow stopped falling, which meant his business dried up.
"We ended up with leaves and stuff by the first of December," Leinwand said. "Then we were just waiting on snow, and it didn't snow until the middle of January."
Those gaps can be frustrating, but Leinwand, who was born and raised in Montana, knows it's just a part of the process.
"The average amount of snow days is 15," Leinwand said. "That's what we anticipate. That's just how we have to treat it now, is always be ready for snow."
On Thursday, his team certainly was ready to help, one shovel of snow at a time.
"You're helping out your customers and you're helping out people getting to and from work so they aren't slipping on their sidewalks," Leinwand said. "We take pride in that."
