Polar Bears, Are You Ready?

The Polar Bear Plunge is once again set for its traditional time and place, noon on New Year’s Day at Sanders Beach. About 500 people are expected to run into the lake, dive under, and run back out even faster. The first unofficial Polar Bear Plunge occurred Nov. 21, 1978. According to local climatologist Cliff Harris, the air temperature should be around 26 to 28 degrees and partly sunny. “We have a high pressure ridge parked over the top of us right now, and pushing everything out of the way,” he said. “This is a very ‘blah’ weather pattern we are in.” Harris said that despite a stretch of severely cold weather a couple of weeks ago, the water temperatures should be 38 degrees on New Year’s Day. As for snow, Harris said that could be another couple of weeks out/ Coeur d’Alene Press . More here. (SR file photo from Jan. 1, 2013: Kathy Plonka)

Question: Anyone planning to take the Polar Bear Plunge into Lake Coeur d’Alene on New Year’s Day?