Rainy record in the works
<p>A motorist drives through a standing puddle of water at the intersection of Lakeside Avenue and Northwest Boulevard on Thursday in downtown Coeur d'Alene. Coeur d'Alene has experienced nearly 7 inches of rainfall in October, closing in on the city's all-time record for the month.</p>
<p>Rain drops hit a puddle in downtown Coeur d'Alene on Thursday. Coeur d'Alene has experienced nearly 7 inches of rainfall in October, closing in on the city's all-time record for the month.</p>
A pair of 65-year-old rainfall records are about to get drenched.
As of Thursday afternoon, Coeur d'Alene's October rainfall had reached 6.82 inches, just below the city's all-time record for the month, 6.96, set back in 1951.
The city's average rainfall for the month of October is 2.22 inches.
"We're going to be over 7 inches by the end of the weekend," said meteorologist Randy Mann, referencing climatologist Cliff Harris' records. "We have rain later (Thursday), a break Friday, off and on through the weekend and on Halloween. It's definitely going to break the record."
Coeur d'Alene has also tied its record for the most days of measurable rainfall in October — 25 — also set back in 1951.
North Idaho was drier than usual in the late summer and early fall, but that’s changed due to an extreme weather pattern. According to Harris's records, Coeur d'Alene accumulated just 4.20 inches of rainfall from June to September, well under its current October total.
It isn't stopping any time soon.
"We have more rain coming. We're not done when this month is over," Mann said. "By the second week of November we'll probably get some snow out of this."
The area has experienced flooding in parking lots and streets and some drain clogging, and Mann even mentioned people who've experienced basement flooding.
The Coeur d'Alene Police Department encourages drivers to drive slower through the downpours.
"It's a lot more difficult to see, so be more careful," said CDA PD’s public information officer, Jared Reneau. "Take your time going where you need to go.”
Conversely, the Coeur d'Alene High School football team hopes to take advantage of the wet conditions for its first-round playoff game tonight at home against Borah of Boise. The team has been practicing in the mud all week.
"The practice fields have been horrible for football. They're practicing in mud," CHS Booster Club President Chris Costa said. "But it's a huge home-field advantage. Now Borah has to come up and play in the muck."
Costa helped maintain the Vikings' field this week by covering it with a giant tarp.
"I've never seen rain like this up here through the entire month of October," Costa said.