Springlike weather on the way

Spring has already sprung and several people have asked, “So where’s spring, Mr. Weatherman?” Well, despite the many days of cloudy and rainy weather, the temperature and precipitation statistics for March, believe it or not, are actually more springlike than winterlike.

For example, the average or mean temperature at Spokane International Airport through Monday was 42.2 degrees. That was 3.6 degrees above normal. Despite the recent cool spell, there were five days with readings at or above the 60-degree mark.

Even February’s average temperature was 1.4 degrees above normal levels. But, let’s not forget that January’s reading was 2.6 degrees below normal.

Since last October, we’ve yet to see a long string of clear to partly cloudy days. When the weather pattern breaks from the clouds and rain, the number of days of nice weather has been around two to three days before more showers invade the region.

March normally has 19 days with cloudy weather at the airport. Through Tuesday this week, we’ve seen only 11 days with cloudy skies and 17 days with a mix of sun and clouds.

Some folks have told me that they are still trying to get used to the new time change to daylight saving we had over two weeks ago. During most occasions, weather conditions typically improved shortly after we moved the clocks forward in early April.

Many of us are now ready for that long break from the wet and cloudy weather. But, since Jan. 1, total precipitation for much of the region is actually below normal.

Approximately 3.5 inches of total rain and melted snow has accumulated at the airport in 2007, which is slightly over an inch below average to this date. Coeur d’Alene has received an above-normal total of nearly 8.5 inches of moisture.

In 2006, Spokane received nearly 7 inches of precipitation, while Coeur d’Alene had measured more than 13 inches through the end of March.

Although there is still a chance of snow showers, even in the lower elevations, through the early portion of April, it does appear that our snowfall season is about over. When adding up the figures between Spokane and Coeur d’Alene, there was a huge difference.

At the International Airport, 35.2 inches of snow was measured for the 2006-07 season. The normal is 47.4 inches.

But, in Coeur d’Alene, snowfall has been above average. As of this past Tuesday, 79.3 inches of the white stuff had fallen. Coeur d’Alene’s normal snowfall for an entire season is 66.7 inches.

In the mountains, there’s been plenty of snow for skies and snowboarders. Many felt that conditions in the higher elevations were very good to excellent.

As was the case during the previous season, more than 300 inches of snow was gauged at some of the higher mountains for this season.

Between now and early April, much of the Inland Northwest will continue to endure a series of fast-moving storm systems that will bring occasional rain showers and, possibly, an isolated thunderstorm or two. We saw our first thunderstorm of the season last Sunday.

There’s still the chance of some snow during the overnight hours above 2,500 feet. (I’m still keeping my snow tires on for another few weeks just to be on the safe side.)

Despite the expected wet weather in early April, there is hope for the string of springlike days that many of us have been waiting for. As we move toward the middle of April, conditions should start turning drier and warmer than normal.

Temperatures may climb well into the 60s, perhaps close to 70 degrees, sometime around April 12 through 17.

As mentioned in previous weeks, May and June should be a bit cooler and wetter than normal. Those two months combined average 2.62 inches of rain in Spokane and 3.99 inches in Coeur d’Alene.

However, I do expect to see temperatures to be well above average levels around the middle of each month.