Good has finally emerged from the eternal winter of 2015, when 110 inches of snow smothered Boston. After that record-breaking year, the city dramatically increased its snow budget.

Turns out, Boston didn’t need it this winter, with such scant snowfall. That has left City Hall with an estimated $8 million surplus for plows and salt.

What happens to the leftover money? It will be used to develop a new playground near Western Avenue in Allston, pay for renovations at Paul Revere Mall in the North End, and help rehabilitate cracked walking paths that crisscross Franklin Park.

“Thank you, weather,’’ said the city’s budget director, Katie Hammer.

Mayor Martin J. Walsh was hesitant to discuss the extra money Wednesday as he outlined his proposed budget to the City Council.

Walsh feared uttering the words “snow surplus’’ could trigger a spring blizzard.

“Every time we talk about a surplus,’’ Walsh said, “it starts sleeting and snowing.’’

The last two winters have been a tale of two seasons. In 2015, when 110.6 inches of flakes fell at Logan International Airport, the city spent $38.5 million on snow removal.

This year, Logan has recorded only 36.1 inches, requiring the city to spend just under $15 million.

“The surplus is only there because we got buried in 2015,’’ Walsh said.

To put the $8 million in context: In a city budget of nearly $3 billion, the surplus represents just a few snowflakes in a proverbial blizzard.

Andrew Ryan can be reached at acryan@globe.com