Prepare for Windsday

COEUR d’ALENE — The potentially powerful storm that appeared last week to be headed this way is taking a right turn instead, which is great news for northern California skiers.

But according to Press Climatologist Cliff Harris, North Idaho won’t be unscathed. He’s calling for winds picking up today and Wednesday, blustering about at 35 to 45 mph — and exceeding 50 or even 60 mph in some places.

“It’s like the Santa Ana winds, only farther north and a lot colder!” Harris said Monday afternoon. “People are putting up Christmas decorations that might be coming down.”

He said light snow is possible this morning but high winds are almost a certainty. Winds should die down Thursday in time for Thanksgiving feasts, but then comes the cold: lows 12 to 15 and highs in the upper 20s to lower 30s.

For the big Resort lighting ceremony late Friday afternoon, Harris said it’ll still be cold but not as windy.

He acknowledged that his phone line has been busy. Snow worshippers are “antsy,” he said, worried that after record snows in September and October, maybe we’re headed for a dud of a snow season.

Relax, Harris said.

“On the back of this wind...we’ll get snow, as we usually do,” he said.

A decent storm could arrive late next week, but Harris has his eye on the following week’s potential beast of a blizzard.

“That one could be a really a big snow,” he said, estimating arrival Dec. 10-15, “give or take a day or two.”

Harris played the part of weather turkey when asked if he’s still standing by his 95 percent likelihood of a white Christmas when others are much more modest in their predictions.

“Sometimes you gotta stick your neck out,” Harris said, chuckling. “And sometimes you get your head chopped off.”