A system is provided for removing snow and ice from and for subsequently drying an athletic playing surface such as a tennis court, basketball court, or the like. The system includes a porous playing surface mounted above a plenum chamber. A heating unit or furnace is associated with the chamber to introduce hot gases in the chamber under pressure sufficient to cause them to pass up through the porous surface. These hot gases then serve to melt the snow and dry the surface. The openings in the porous surface should be large enough to permit up-flow of the gases and drainage of the melted snow, but small enough so as to not adversely affect play on the surface.