Temperatures have been all over the place. According to data from the Adirondack Regional Airport, the mercury has found itself anywhere between -24, the minimum temperature recorded on March 3, and 69 degrees, the high temperature recorded on March 18 — a swing of 93 degrees.

While the consistently cold winter and steady snowpack helped to prime the maple trees for a productive season, a shifty spring has somewhat sapped the stellar setup, although it remains too early to tell how the maple season will ultimately play out, according to Adam Wild, who directs Cornell University’s Uihlein Maple Research Forest in Lake Placid.

“I mean it’s hard to tell until the season’s actually over,” he said. “That warm weather last week and the week before was not helpful. It melted the snow a little too quickly. It would have been nice to have the snow stay around a bit longer.”

He said that in all, it’s chalked up to about an average pace of production at the sugarbush he oversees so far. Wild said that, hypothetically, if the season were to end immediately, they would have produced between a quarter and a third of what is normal. In reality, however, Wild said that he expects the season around here to keep going, allowing sugarmakers to keep producing — and adding — to what they have currently.

The Wild Center’s mascot Ollie watches dutifully as staff member Alicia Lamb gets ready to flip an artistic pancake on Saturday. (Provided photo — Rick Godin)

“I think we can hang on up here,” he said. “The 10-day forecast looks a bit cooler.”

Wild said that given how dependent the maple season is on staying in the sweet spot — below freezing at night and daytime temperatures in the 40s or 50s — large swings in total production can occur. He said, in really unfavorable years, it’s possible for sugarmakers to only produce about 50% of their normal yield.

Unfortunately, he added that other regions of the state, such as western and central New York, which have experienced warmer high temperatures and an earlier snowmelt than the Tri-Lakes region, are likely staring down a low-yield season.

“Some of those communities are at the end, or near the end (of the season), and they’ve only made 50% of their crop this year,” he said.

Wild added that the season comes to an end when low temperatures stop freezing at night, causing the buds to swell, elongate and open. This causes the sap composition to change and stop being so sweet, rendering it unusable for syrup production as it supports bud and leaf growth on the trees.

AmeriCorps Community Educator Jessica Thomas explains various Sugar Shack equipment used to produce maple syrup to local students at the Wild Center in Tupper Lake on Saturday. (Provided photo — Jonathan Zaharek)

Friday and Saturday make up the second and final New York state Maple Weekend, in which participating maple syrup producers showcase their processes and offer tours to the public, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.

In Lake Placid, there are two venues for folks to visit — and they just so happen to be on the same road — the Cornell University Uihlein Maple Research Forest, at 157 Bear Cub Lane, and the Uihlein Foundation’s Heaven Hill Farm, at 302 Bear Cub Lane. Both offer free admission.

In Tupper Lake, the Wild Center, located at 45 Museum Drive, is participating, with admission included with a museum ticket or membership.

On the heels of a cold spell — which inhibits sap flow — Tri-Lakes destinations are waiting to see if they will be able to accumulate enough sap today and Friday to be able to boil this weekend and demonstrate the process to the public.

Shannon Surdyk, who leads the Wild Center’s maple programs, said she was cautiously optimistic they would end up with enough sap to fire up the Sugar Shack.

Wild Center staff members Alicia Lamb and Amelia Pratt create nature-themed pancakes during the Maple Pancake Brunch on Saturday in Tupper Lake. (Provided photo — Rick Godin)

“The weather’s been really funky this season,” she said. “We’re hoping to have sap to boil this weekend, which (today) and Friday are looking like much better days, a bit warmer.”

Beyond the weekend, Surdyk said the forecast she had seen for next week — albeit subject to change — looked conducive for good sap production.

“Next week looks great,” she said. “Every day next week looks fantastic for sap production.”

To learn more about the Maple Weekend activities, including more information on the local sites, visit mapleweekend.com.

Education Programs Manager Shannon Surdyk talks about the science of maple syrup to local students at the Wild Center in Tupper Lake on Saturday. (Provided photo — Jonathan Zaharek)

Ollie, the Wild Center’s mascot, greets the crowd at the Maple Pancake Brunch on Saturday. Over 300 people visited the Wild Center that day, with about 100 in attendance for the breakfast. (Provided photo — Rick Godin)