March has come in like the proverbial lion.

Whether the weather lore, which has its origins in an English proverb and is a popular Pennsylvania saying, holds true and March departs like a lamb remains to be seen.

Salisbury Township officials have been plowing ahead with their snow removal schedule and, as of the most recent township board of commissioners' meeting, enough salt and enough funding appears to be in place.

While the Feb. 27 workshop following the regular township meeting listed the discussion topic "Salt Shortage," Salisbury appears to be in good supply to battle any late winter snowstorms.

Salisbury Township Manager Randy Soriano cited "the amount of snow, the short amount of time between storms and sub-freezing temperatures" in presenting particular challenges to township road crews.

Salisbury Township Department of Public Works John Andreas and his crew again received kudos from some commissioners for their snow-removal response.

"I had two residents call me and specifically compared us to Fountain Hill and Bethlehem [concerning snow removal]," Commissioners' Vice President Debra Brinton said.

"And I live on Cypress [Avenue] and you can tell the difference where Allentown begins," Brinton said.

"You guys did a great job and it looks like you might be doing it again," Brinton added.

Commissioner Robert Martucci, Jr. said he agreed with Brinton and township crews have done a "great job in snow removal."

Andreas thanked the officials, but observed, a trace of weariness in his voice, "It's been way too cold for way too long and there's been way too much snow."

Weather history data supports his observation.

According to the National Weather Service, the 2013-2014 winter season has the highest number of days, at 17, when one inch or more of snow fell, beating the previous record of 16 set during the 1995-1996 winter.

The winter snowfall total, at 66.7 inches, is the third highest, with a record 75.4 inch snowfall in 1993-1994, and 71.4 inch snowfall in 1995-1996.

The average temperature of 26.8 degrees Fahrenheit for the 2013-2014 winter is the second coldest on record (for December, January and February), just shy of the record 26.4 degrees Fahrenheit set in 1993-1994.

There have been 36 days at or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit for the 2013-2014 winter to date, which is third so far, compared to 42 days in 1993-1994 and the record 43 days in 1995-1996.

Soriano distributed a chart to commissioners, delineating winter operational costs versus the 2014 budget.

"The money is there. We don't have to do anything," Soriano said.

There was $40,000 budgeted for overtime, of which $33,530.41, or 84 percent, has been spent.

There was $65,000 budgeted for salt, of which $34,081.90, or 52 percent, has been spent.

There was $120,000 budgeted for anti-skid material, of which $4,779.92, or 4 percent, has been spent.

There was also $120,000 budgeted for cold material, of which $944.46, or 1 percent, has been spent.

Salisbury Township buys salt through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania cooperative purchasing program administered by the Department of General Services Bureau of Procurement and from Cargill, Inc., Northampton.

Following the Feb. 13 snowfall, Salisbury received a delivery of salt on Presidents Day, Feb. 17.

A typical snowstorm could require the application of 100 tons of salt in the township.

As of the Feb. 27 meeting, the township had 250 tons of mixed salt material and another 75 tons of street salt on hand.

Magnesium chloride is sprayed on the salt, so effectiveness is increased in the sub-freezing temperatures which have typified the winter of 2013-2014.

As many as 13 township units may be on the road at one time for salting and as many as 16 units for plowing of township streets and roads.

There may be a light at the end of the snow tunnel.

"Hopefully, with daylight saving time and the sun coming around and rising higher in the sky, and the days getting longer, things should improve," Andreas said.

Daylight saving time begins March 9.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, there have been 18 snowstorms during the 2013-2014 winter season. And, there are about two more weeks of winter to go. The first day of spring is March 20.

Late last week, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation organized a convoy of trucks to haul approximately 20,000 tons of road salt straight from the Delaware docks to Pennsylvania. About 8,000 tons of salt have been allocated to Lehigh, Northampton and Monroe counties.

Several major arteries through Salisbury are maintained by PennDOT, including East Emmaus Avenue, East Susquehanna Street, Broadway, Lehigh Street and Interstate 78.