Snow possible next week

COEUR d'ALENE - Three, count 'em, three good chances for snow before the year ends.

But look for more rain first, beginning today and lasting through the weekend.

Why not?

It's been one of the wettest years ever, and the 1996 record of 38.77 inches of rain will likely fall this year.

But December comes Saturday, and December means snow in most North Idaho minds.

Rest assured, the first good chance for snowfall will come by the middle of next week on the backside of the low-pressure system moving into the area that's going to bring rain, said Cliff Harris, climatologist.

Harris gives next week a 50-50 shot at snowing, with another good chance one week later.

But the best bet for big, fluffy flakes will be in about three weeks. Record snows are falling in northern Japan and that system will eventually cross the ocean, hover over Alaska, hang out in Canada, and eventually make its way here.

So North Idaho should get good snowfall right before Christmas, Harris said.

Meantime, temps should be in the mid-30s and low-40s while it rains.