The balmy city weather has been a boon to business people whose gear would normally be packed away in storage by now — ice cream vendors.
“It’s a one-time-in-20-year event,” said Rad Lopez, who sells ice cream from the Fun Time Frostee truck at Sixth Avenue and West 48th Street.
“It’s a blessing from the gods.”
Even at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Lopez enjoyed a steady stream of customers willing to wait in line.
With temperatures expected to reach 76 degrees on Thursday, Mister Softee trucks, typically out of sight in late December, are still slinging frozen treats to New Yorkers and hungry tourists around the city.
“It’s beyond unusual,” said Mister Softee Vice President Jim Conway. “It’s bizarre.”
Even brick-and-mortar stores are benefiting from the unusual winter warmth.
“Sales have increased quite a bit because it’s warm,” said Marcos Villa of Mikey Likes It Ice Cream in the East Village. “We’re up 30 percent [from last winter].”