ORWELL, Ohio—Most sugarmakers are pulling taps in Ohio, Indiana and Pennsylvania and in the north, producers are scrambling to keep up with an ocean of sap this week.

“Saturday we had one of the biggest breakouts I’ve seen,” said 25,000-tap producer David Fuller in Jefferson, N.H.. “We were pumping 160 gallons a minute and still had to shut some valves to keep up.”

Other producers in the northern zones of the Maple Belt were also excited about a big production week this week, as temperatures cooperated.

In high mountain areas of West Virginia, producers there were also seeing a last minute rebound.

“In the high country, the sap is just pouring in,” said Michael Rechlin of Future Generations University, which consults with sugarmakers in that state. “Guys on the tops of the mountains still are making syrup.”

But in lower regions, there is much concern.

“I’m going to try my best to make it until the weekend,” said Matt Meyer in Morris, N.Y. “March got warm quick.”

Temperatures are forecast to be in the 60s for the duration of the week across most of the east, with no freezing nights.

Meanwhile, production has shut down in Indiana, Ohio and the Mid-Atlantic.

“It just quit running,” said Ray Gingerich, who makes syrup in Orwell, Ohio. His last day was March 3, the earliest he had ever stopped for a season.

“Never before have we stopped before March 17,” Gingerich told The Maple News.

He said his crop was about 80 percent of normal. 4700 gallons on 14,000 taps.

“Every drop of it was good flavor,” he said.

Daniel Miller, in Windsor, Ohio had a similar report. He pulled taps last week as well.

“Never in my lifetime has it been this warm this early,” Miller said.

Joe Bernardo, a bucket producer in Austinburg, Ohio was frustrated with the season.

“It was over before it even started,” he told The Maple News last week.

In New York State, many sugarmakers were challenged by the unusual weather. Warm one day, snow the next.

“Sugar content has been dropping,” said Mike Grottoli, a producer in Middle Granville, N.Y.

At 757-tap Hop City Maple in Ballston Spa, N.Y., sugarmakers John and Emilia Medick were hoping to hang on until Maple Open House weekend, scheduled for this weekend and next in New York.

“We’ve made 140 gallons so far,” Emilia Medick said on Friday.

Many states are hosting open house weekends this weekend, including Pennsylvania and New Hampshire.

Sugarmakers are reporting an abundance of dark syrup being made, in some cases even darker.

"We made mostly Grade B all day yesterday," said 1,000-tap producer Matthew Tobin in Rupert, Vt. on Saturday.