Finally, a real snow day

Kootenai County saw its first significant snowfall of the season on Monday.

Climatologist Cliff Harris said 3.3 inches of snow fell in Coeur d’Alene, bringing the season’s total to 8 inches, about 5 below normal.

Some areas around Rathdrum and Spirit Lake received as much as 5 inches of snow.

“It looks like winter out there,” Harris said.

The high Monday was 31 degrees and the low was 21, giving the area its first sub-freezing day since Feb. 18, 2020, when it hit a low of 18 and a high of 32 degrees.

Snow stopped falling mid-afternoon, leaving behind slick roads and walkways. There were several slide-offs on area roads, but no serious accidents were reported.

Harris said a series of storms is rolling in, with a chance of more snow late tonight and Wednesday. But he said it could warm up to near 40 degrees, which would add rain to the mix.

Another storm is expected this weekend and early next week, and again, Harris said it will likely be a mix of snow and rain.

Harris expects another storm around Dec. 18-20 that will deliver snow.

“I believe that snow will be on the ground on Christmas and that will give us a white Christmas,” Harris said.