If you run a mobile auto detailing business or portable carwash and you lived near the Sierra Nevada Mountain range you know how tough it was this year with all the weather storms. Yet the weatherman never called it an El Nino officially, you can be sure it felt like one to you. We also run a mobile car cleaning business on both sides of the hill; in California and in Nevada.
Our Franchises near the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range on the West Side of this Great Nation who do auto motive detailing have been got slammed with intense weather. Most of the car washes in the region report the same news. It had been cold and windy and lots of Rain, Snow and Blizzard like conditions, that kept our customers mostly in doors and when they go out their cars trashed with mud, dirt and road salt. This is both good and bad for our team. Bad in that it reduces the number of work days in December, through late February, early March. Good in that every single car, truck, shuttle bus, sidewalk and buildings is totally dirty and ugly, thus needing our services. These vehicles got so dirty that going to simple car washes will not suffice, they will need to partake in professional automotive detailing services. Nothing can replace the car care of a professional auto detailing expert.
During the (medium intensity) El Nino Winter months our California Franchises get hammered by rain making schedules hectic trying to work around the storms; which are obviously for storms on their own schedule. For those franchises near the base of the Sierra Nevada Mountains both on the leeward and windward side, those nimbus clouds climb upward where the air is much colder turning to snow and provide a much needed snow pack, which will be in need now that it is summer to alleviate the drought conditions.
Currently CA is in a serious situation as the drought has affected all those who get water from the Colorado River. Las Vegas, Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Bernardino. So much so that there is in progress a water war, which will end up in court soon. Phoenix's SRP, has already cut the water supply by 50%, California has refused to cut her supply as promised. Phoenix area has considered stopping the building new homes and thus the plot thickens as to how the water will be divided as California is at the end of their water rights contract and is negotiating a new contract. Southern California only gets some of its water from Northern California, but what little in overall percentage it does get it really cannot afford to give. The Farmers need it, the Bay Delta is need rejuvenation of supply and the housing in Sacramento and San Joaquin Valley need it too if more people are to live in the region.
No one in the industry is complaining. But we are getting calls from Team Members, Franchisees who do automotive detailing and car washes, Vendors and even competitors in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Nevada, Northern AZ and California. It is a big deal and the weather is pretty intense in Post Cascade WA and OR, as well as ID car washes. And the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range is getting its share of harsh weather and it's much needed snow pack.
El Nino and this years winter weather we had could not have come at a better time really, considering the much needed water supply. I guess the auto detailers were forced to take a few days off and be really busy between storms for a while, as the storms caught up to our rainfall deficit on the West Coast.
Our Reno Area Franchisee got hit with several intense storms, which were about 2 feet each. Washing cars, automotive detailing and car washes have been a scheduling situation during the last parts of 2002, 2003, 2004 and this year started out more stormy than most. It is going to be a scorcher summer indeed, but summers here, the weather is good and it is time for all West Coast auto detailers to make hay. Think about it.
Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/
