Sinatra, can you see us?

In the midst of a severe drought, Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue stood on the steps of the Capitol building in Atlanta several weeks ago and asked the public to pray for rain.

Last night, skiers, snowboarders and anyone hoping for the first “dump” of the season, joined owners Stefan and Stascha Kaelin for a snow dance outside the Stefan Kaelin Ski & Golf store in Newport Beach.

Over a glass or two of wine, Stascha Kaelin and store manager Janet Nicholas came up with the idea after hearing about the Georgia situation.

Stascha Kaelin said California is in a severe drought as well, the ski areas could use a lot more snow, and “if we appeal to the snow gods, they’ll look favorably on us and bring us snow.”

One of her employees found instructions for a basic four-step snow dance on the Internet.

First step, and very important, Stascha said, is the stomp. You have to make a lot of noise, and get the attention of the gods.

Step two is to search: Put your hand to your forehead, lean in and begin to look around.

You can’t make snow without wind, Stascha said, so begin to create it by waving your arms as if you’re doing a hula dance.

Last, but not least, raise your arms, gently bringing your hands down in a motion that looks like snowflakes falling.

Stascha believes if you follow these steps, it will snow.

“If you do it loud enough, and often enough, the snow gods will listen,” she said.

The crowd outside the store was a mix of kids and adults, and they got into the spirit right away.

Six-year-old Sophie Lindskog was one of several kids who had their faces painted with blue and white snowflakes before going outside to join in the fun.

While employees held up signs showing participants what to do, owner Stefan Kaelin called out the steps from a microphone positioned above the crowd.

“You see all the crazy things one does for our business,” he said.

One employee played the bongo drums with three other drummers who asked to volunteer after hearing what the store had planned, and people danced to the rhythmic beating.

Several employees wearing glow-ring necklaces walked along the sidewalk in front of Pacific Coast Highway with signs that said “Do a little dance, make a little snow,” and “Honk for snow.”

It didn’t take long for them to pique the interest of cars driving by, and there was a lot of honking, waving and yelling.

Friday’s rain hadn’t brought snow to the mountains by late afternoon, but 4 to 10 inches was expected at Big Bear by nightfall.

Mammoth Mountain reported 12 inches of new snow within the past 24 hours; Big Bear, Mountain High, Snow Valley and Snow Summit have a base of 12 to 24 inches, and will probably receive new snow from this storm as well.

Even so, a little snow dance never hurt anybody.

The store had never done anything like this before, so Nicholas really didn’t know what to expect.

People seemed to think it was a great idea when she sent some of her employees out on the street to promote the event a few days before Thanksgiving. Dressed in ski clothes with signs reading, “Honk for snow,” Nicholas said the kids got a huge response from people driving by in cars.

“The horns didn’t stop honking all day, even when the kids had to go back in the store to try and cool off,” Nicholas said.

It was 80 degrees those few days before Thanksgiving.

It was wintry and cold Friday night, perfect weather to be outside drinking hot apple cider and thinking about schussing down the slopes.

Stascha Kaelin said she knows it was a wacky idea, but hopefully, the gods will respond.

Believe it or not, it’s been raining in parts of Georgia.

SUE THOENSEN may be reached at (714) 966-4627 or at [email protected].