Record High Tells Many Winter Is Over

Tue., Feb. 21, 1995

Gita Sitaramiah And Mike Prager S Staff writer

Spokane’s all-time high February temperature Monday convinced some people that winter is over.

“I think it’s over with. I think spring is here,” said Rick Allesio, who fed ducks with his wife and three children Monday afternoon at Manito Park. “At least, I’m hopeful.”

In six days, Spokane went from the coldest day of the year to the warmest day ever in February.

Monday’s high was 63 degrees, beating the previous all-time high for the month, on Feb. 19, 1958, by 2 degrees.

The record high for the date of Feb. 20 had been 56 degrees, which occurred in 1982.

The high in Coeur d’Alene on Monday was 61 degrees. Historical records have not been kept there.

Forecasters said that while more snowfall and cold aren’t out of the question, the worst of winter may be past.

Plenty of people enjoyed the unseasonably warm weather on the Presidents Day holiday by walking dogs, pushing children in strollers and exercising outdoors.

Laura VanDerLinde, 20, sported a T-shirt and bike shorts as she ran through Audubon Park.

“Usually I work out in a gym,” said VanDerLinde, a Spokane Falls Community College student who had the day off.

VanDerLinde was optimistic that the worst of winter is over. But that’s how she always feels at this time of year, she said.

“I consider February the beginning of spring,” she said.

Deer Park High School students Stephanie Lindsey and Karrie Cloward both were dressed in shorts and T-shirts, but they still couldn’t stay cool playing tennis in February.

“It actually got hot,” Cloward said.

The warm weather came just six days after Spokane bottomed out for the winter at 2 degrees on Valentine’s Day.

On Monday the freezing level had risen to 10,200 feet above Spokane International Airport. The warm weather combined with weekend rain to cause flooding on some Inland Northwest rivers.

In the mountains, some of the snowpack disappeared, but forecasters said the rapid melting should stop this week.

Sandi Nichols, spokeswoman for Schweitzer Mountain Resort, said the snowpack at the lodge went from 87 to 84 inches. About 2 inches of snow were lost on the top of the mountain.

Meteorologist Stan Savoy of the National Weather Service said the outlook for this week calls for a slow cooling trend and a chance of showers. Snow levels in the mountains should drop to 5,000 feet or lower by the end of the week, he said.

Temperatures in Spokane and Coeur d’Alene are expected to be in the low 50s for highs and upper 30s for lows throughout the week, he said.

Color Photo

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.