Uh-oh: Snow
LOREN BENOIT/Press Colton Lobdell puts on winter snow tires for a customer Tuesday afternoon at Les Schwab. A winter storm is expected to come through the area Tuesday night and into today.
COEUR d'ALENE — Area tire store managers said some drivers were steered toward early spring fever with the full sun that shined as recently as Tuesday afternoon.
Dwayne Glemser, manager at Les Schwab in Coeur d'Alene, said those asking to have their snow tires taken off came in at a steady clip in recent days.
"Then it can all change overnight," Glemser said.
Glemser said store employees don't try to advise customers otherwise this time of year because they could end up on the wrong side of the ever-changing weather predictions of mid-February in North Idaho.
"People get worried about wearing their studs out (in dry weather), but taking them off this soon can also be risky," he said. "Most people know that the weather can change this time of year, so we generally just go with what they want."
J.J. Schillinger, manager at Perfection Tires in Coeur d'Alene, said his store has also seen a gradual increase in customers wanting to take off their studs. It also doesn't offer unsolicited advice to customers on when to make the change, especially during winter.
"We've been having a couple come in every day," he said.
True to North Idaho form, what a difference just a few hours can make in the weather.
Amid blue skies early Tuesday afternoon that later turned to heavy clouds, Press Meterologist Randy Mann was predicting 3 to 6 inches of snow starting late last night and into this morning.
"For all the people who took off their snow tires, they're in for a big surprise," Mann said. "Welcome to North Idaho. We have gone from a southwest air flow that created milder temperatures and rain to a northwest flow with colder temperatures and snow."
Snow is also predicted for Friday and a rain/snow mix on Saturday into Saturday night.
"This is a tale of three winters — early November, mid-December, and now we'll get it again," Mann said. "This will not be as big as December, but we'll still get enough measurable snow to change things up."
Mann said Part 3, which will run into early March with winter-like weather, will push the area to normal snowfall for the season. Coeur d'Alene had received 52.7 inches of snow as of Tuesday afternoon and the normal is 69.7.
Mann cautioned drivers to be careful during this change in weather.
"People will likely drive like it's the first snow," he said. "We're going from dry to very slick roads."