North Idaho has many 'microclimates'

I’ve recently received a few emails asking about the different types of climates here in North Idaho. Our region is well-known for its many lakes, mountains and valleys and has a variety of different “microclimates” within a relatively small area.

The official reporting station for the National Weather Service for Coeur d’Alene is the Pappy Boyington Field (airport) in Hayden. Based on the proximity to bodies of water such as Lake Coeur d’Alene, Fernan Lake, Hayden Lake, Lake Pend Oreille and others, many of our observers have reported temperature and precipitation figures that have varied greatly from one place to another.

For example, during the summer months, residents near Lake Coeur d’Alene and other lakes often experience milder nights and cooler days due to the moderating effects from the huge bodies of water. Readings may differ as much as 3-5 degrees from inland locations.

However, during the winter season, towns away from Lake Coeur d’Alene have been as much as 10-20 degrees colder during the nighttime hours. Recently, temperatures in northwestern Coeur d’Alene finally hit the freezing mark on Wednesday, Nov. 4. But, some of the outlying areas like Spirit Lake, Rathdrum and others reported morning low temperatures in the chilly 20s as early as late October.

In 2005, Cliff identified at least 27 microclimates around North Idaho. Most of the climate differences around this part of the world are due to elevations of particular towns, their latitude and longitude and, of course, the proximity to large bodies of water.

During our winter season, snowfall totals will vary significantly from downtown Coeur d’Alene to places like Rathdrum, Dalton Gardens, Hayden and others. Cliff and I have seen towns near the mountain locations receive at least twice the amount of snow when compared to locations in the lower elevations. We’ve also seen cases in past years where downtown Coeur d’Alene, Lake Fernan and other nearby locations will report only traces of snowfall, but just a few miles away, places around the Silver Lake Mall and out toward Player Drive will pick up nearly 3-6 inches of snow with upwards of a foot of the white stuff in Athol, Twin Lakes and other towns closer to the mountains and farther away from the lake.

As far as our local weather is concerned, some towns in North Idaho saw their first flakes of snow last Thursday, Nov. 5. Snow actually covered the grassy surfaces at Fernan Lake, but other parts of Coeur d’Alene only saw a few snowflakes. Hayden reported about a half-inch of snow from that storm. Here’s another example of our many microclimates across North Idaho.

I’m now hearing all kinds of comments on how cold and wet it has become since late October. We’ve entered a new weather pattern that is bringing some much-needed moisture to the Inland Northwest and even drought-parched California. A meteorological friend of mine, who lives near Sacramento, told me they picked up an inch of rain last week and more is on the way. That’s great news for the Golden State. Let’s hope the moisture keeps coming and doesn’t shut off in early 2016 like it did in early 2015.

For the rest of November, I see more storms bringing us periods of rain and wet snow. In other words, more of a “back and forth” rain and snow pattern. There is still a strong, warm El Nino pumping all that warmer ocean air into the atmosphere.

Based on the current forecasts, there is a chance we could see some measurable snowfall in the lower elevations around late Wednesday and again this weekend. But, much of the moisture that falls this week should be in the form of rain thanks to the warm El Nino sea-surface temperature pattern.

From what Cliff and I are looking at, November snowfall should slightly below the normal of about 8 inches with only about a 25 percent chance of a white Thanksgiving in the valley locations. Stay tuned.

Contact Randy Mann at randy@longrangeweather.com