Adapting to the increasing risks of harsher weather won't be easy ... or cheap

Jerry Jaeger, president and co-owner of the Hagadone Hospitality Company of Coeur d'Alene, sent me a copy of the March 22 Kiplinger Letter detailing our nation's weather woes stemming from the worst cycle of 'extremes' since just prior to the Little Ice Age in the 1300s.

The newsletter stated that "erratic weather poses a mounting threat to the U.S. economy."

In 2012 alone, a $100 billion loss hit the country from the combination of powerful storms like tornadoes and hurricanes, the worst drought in the nation's midsection since the 1930s and scores of wildfires.

At least 80 percent of the nation's farmland suffered from extreme drought in 2012. Conditions in many areas of the Midwest were actually worse than in 1936 during the 'peak' of the infamous 'Dust Bowl Days.'

Last year was also the third worst wildfire season on record in this country. Only 2006 and 2007 saw more acres of forest go 'up in smoke' from coast-to-coast.

The Kiplinger Letter pointed out that we're likewise seeing "rising floodwaters" in many parts of the nation. Recent disastrous hurricanes like Katrina and Sandy and shifting rainfall patterns are prompting revisions to floodplain maps nationwide. Many communities along rivers, the Gulf Coast and the Eastern Seaboard will find themselves newly designated as 'at risk.'

Adapting to this higher risk of flooding won't be easy ... or cheap. Flood insurance will certainly be more expensive with much higher annual premiums. Some owners of coastal real estate will have to make a bitter choice between costly upgrades and big premium hikes. People inland may have to insure for the first time against serious flooding. But, we're still at a fairly low risk of flood damage, except in the lowest areas near bodies of water, locally in North Idaho and much of the rest of the Inland Empire.

The Kiplinger Letter predicts that "state and local governments can expect to shoulder more of the loss burden when bad weather strikes. And, the taxpayers will pay for it."

I agree that governments at every level will play an increasing role in curbing flood and fire risks. They will be toughening building codes, buying at-risk properties, updating floodplain and fire risk maps while hopefully tempering the worst effects of an increasingly hostile climate cycle of wide weather 'extremes.'

Next week in 'Gems,' we'll discover what the nation's farmers are doing to protect themselves from the wildest weather patterns in at least 800 years. They have a new '25 X 25' Alliance Adaptation Work Group Plan, a collaboration of leaders from the agriculture, forestry, business, academic, conservation and government sectors. Our always changing climate demands ACTION!

NORTH IDAHO WEATHER REVIEW AND LONG-RANGE OUTLOOKS

I received several phone calls and emails from people that saw their recently planted flowers nipped by a hard freeze this past Tuesday morning, April 9. Readings as cold as 23 degrees were reported to the north and east of Coeur d'Alene early Tuesday. We observed heavy frost and a 27-degree temperature at my station on Player Drive.

More frosts and freezes can be expected this week as chilly air from the Gulf of Alaska pushes across the Inland Northwest. Once again, don't forget to cover any sensitive plants. An early morning snow flurry is still possible.

As far as our long-range weather outlooks are concerned, both Meteorologist Randy Mann and I continue to see a rather normal pattern locally of 'sun and showers' with gradually warming temperatures between now and mid June.

Randy says that we are still in a sea-surface ocean temperature event called a 'La Nada,' the in-between phase of the cooler than normal 'La Nina' and the warmer than normal 'El Nino.'

It's going to be very difficult to say just where sea-surface temperatures will be in 60 to 90 days, but I'm still betting on another warm and dry summer season across the region between late June and the middle to the end of September.

I wouldn't be at all surprised to see an afternoon or two with high temperatures locally near or above 100 degrees by late July or early August. Our last afternoon above 100 degrees occurred nearly 4 years ago on Aug. 20, 2009, just prior to the annual North Idaho Fair and Rodeo.

By the way, we still see GREAT WEATHER again this year for our region's various outdoor activities. As usual, I'm looking forward to the fair.

Also, Randy will be teaching his Physical Geography course this summer and likewise for the fall semester at beautiful North Idaho College. I hear his class is very interesting. But, one can't believe everything they hear (just kidding).

Cliff Harris is a climatologist who writes a weekly column for The Press. His opinions are his own. Email sfharris@roadrunner.com