March on record as second-snowiest
It’s the first week of April and we’re finally receiving some milder weather.
Until recently, many folks were asking me, “What are you going to do about this weather?” Well, as I’ve been saying for a long time, “I’m not in production, only in sales as far as the weather business is concerned.”
The big storm on March 28 dumped more than a foot of snow in parts of Coeur d’Alene, Rathdrum, Hayden, Hauser Lake and many other towns in North Idaho. At Spokane International Airport, more than a foot of snow was measured from March 26-30. Of the 12.2 inches, a record 4.6 inches fell March 30. On the last day of March, the airport picked up a record 0.7 inches of snow.
Snowfall totals for March ended at 15.8 inches at the airport, the second-snowiest in recorded history. The normal is 3.1 inches. The record for the most March snow in Spokane was 16.4 inches set in 1897.
Since July 1, 2007, the airport has received a whopping 87.8 inches of snow, which now ranks third in all-time annual snowfall. (Yes, I did think we would have more snow than usual for this season, I didn’t think we would see numbers like this.) The most snow observed was in 1949-50 with 93.5 inches. In 1974-75, Spokane measured 89 inches, the second-snowiest observed. The way this year is going, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the airport’s total make second place. However, I don’t think we’ll make the all-time record of 93.5 inches.
Snowfall totals are impressive in North Idaho. In the northwest corner of Coeur d’Alene, where the snow tends to pile-up against the mountains, Climatologist Cliff Harris reports more than 165 inches of snow. To the north and east, towns including Hayden, Rathdrum, Priest Lake and Spirit Lake are reporting all-time seasonal snowfall records between 175 and 220 inches.
In addition to the snow, it has also been cold. At the airport, the January average (mean) temperature was 2.6 degrees below normal. February was 0.6 degrees under the average. March was the coldest with a reading of 3.2 degrees below normal.
The cold and snowy weather has not only plagued our part of the country, but many areas east of the Rockies also have seen the coldest and snowiest winter season in recorded history.
As far as our longer-term weather is concerned, I still see afternoon highs in the region reaching the normal 50s and 60s into mid-April. Between April 20 and early July, I’m looking for generally wetter and cooler than normal weather patterns locally along with some moderate lowland flooding as the heavy snowpacks melt in the nearby mountains. During the last week of April, it’s quite possible that another round of colder weather may bring some light snows to our region. Then, we should briefly turn much warmer in early May.
From early July through at least the second week of September, high pressure should dominate our weather patterns bringing us more sunshine and warmth than usual, but not quite as dry as the past couple of summers.