PHOENIX - After years of crippling drought, steady winter snowstorms have brought Arizona its best ski season in recent years, allowing ski resorts to open early while boosting sales for winter sports businesses.

With the forecast calling for snow showers through the weekend and snow storms next week, skiers and snowboarders will likely see a white winter beyond the holidays.

"We've had a good winter so far. There is snow in the right places and people are happy," said David Eichler, a spokesman for the Arizona Office of Tourism.

Flagstaff has received 37 inches of snow so far this season, compared to 1.2 inches of snow for the same time last season, said Ben Peterson, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service.

Last year's lackluster ski season caused the Arizona Snowbowl in Flagstaff to open Jan. 9 and miss the crucial holiday weekends that draw large crowds.

This year, Snowbowl opened Thanksgiving weekend, the first time it has been able to do that since 2000. The ski resort, which has no snowmaking equipment, suffered its worst season in 2001-2002 when it was open just four days.

Sunrise Park Resort in eastern Arizona and Mount Lemmon Ski Valley near Tucson were also able to open a couple of weeks earlier than usual this year.

Sue Bermingham, of Phoenix, was one of many who hit the slopes Christmas weekend at Sunrise Park.

"Sunrise was fantastic, I loved it. … I am so dedicated, I have been to Sunrise when it's been rocks, but I always go every year no matter what," said Bermingham. "I will definitely try to make a run this weekend."

Even for those who aren't winter sports enthusiasts, a good ski season could motivate first-timers to drive out to the mountains, buy or rent equipment and learn to ski or snowboard, said Larry Ruppe, general manager of the Ski Pro Inc. in Mesa.

For businesses that specialize in winter sports, beginners could mean the difference between a great year and a mediocre one.

"We could have a decent year relying on a certain type of customer who's willing to fly and go out of state," Ruppe said. "For us to have a good season, we need the local ski areas to be going. We need the local rental guy, the first-time rental guy. … It's the local situation that's a make it or break it for us."

This season, the shop has already seen a 15 percent increase in sales from last year.

While skiing makes up a small part of the state's tourism, the activity makes Arizona a versatile tourist attraction, Eichler said.

"One of the things that makes Arizona so unique is the range of options that tourists or locals have. One of the things we joke about is that come spring, you could ski in the morning and go to (Major League Baseball) spring training in the afternoon."