A US ski area, Jay Peak in Vermont, created a mud man rather than a snow man, for a joke.

The mud appeared after a second successive February temperature spike saw rain rather than snow fall on ski slopes.

As with the warm front the previous week, temperatures dipped and fresh snow fell within 24 hours of the latest unusually warm winter temperatures.

During the previous warm weather on 18th February another Vermont ski area, Mad River Glen, had its base area flooded by a combination of heavy rain and melting snow, but was back to operating again 24 hours later after temperatures dipped and fresh snow fell.