Nice weekend weather in northeast Ohio gives some a chance to prepare for winter

ROCKY RIVER, Ohio - Just barely two weeks ago, Superstorm Sandy ravaged many communities throughout northeast Ohio with down trees and flooding. It’s kept area hardware stores busy selling cleanup equipment.

“With as much tree damage and some of that stuff a lot more chainsaws, and obviously, you’re buying all the accessories, gas cans and everything else you’re going to need to keep that going," said Avon Lowe’s store manager Jimmy Collier.

But that was then. Sandy is gone, the clouds have parted and the sun is shining. Now, with the forecast of a nice weekend, it’s time to deal with the trees that survived the store, and what they leave.

“Leaves,” said Collier. “They’ve blown all over the place, maybe landed in somebody’s yard.”  He told NewsChannel 5 that rakes and leaf blowers were selling quickly.

Jacqui Wheeler was planning some cleanup by “getting the leaf guards and cleaning the leaves out of the gutters this weekend since it’s going to be nice. Take advantage of the last minute nice weather.”

Collier said the good weather now, gives people a chance to get ready for the bad weather that’s on the way.

“What people will do is winterize their home and essentially get it ready for the cold weather coming up, stop the drafts, seal up those cracks, whatever they may have to deal with. It obviously keeps the house warm and saves on those energy bills.”

Matt Trnavski was out trimming plants and moving leaves at his Rocky River home. Working in the yard is a little easier when the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Cleveland Browns won’t be playing because of a bye week.

“That’s why were outside this weekend, they’re not on.”