SORRY, IT'S STILL WINTER

The sunshine that warmed North Idaho Friday is likely to turn a cold shoulder on inhabitants eager for spring.

Laurie Nisbet, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Spokane, said Friday that North Idaho residents can expect up to an inch of snow today, with a chance for more on Sunday.

Most of the Idaho Panhandle will see less than an inch of snow, Nisbet said.

Friday's blue skies and high of about 46 degrees saw cyclists take to the Centennial Trail, coffee drinkers sitting on downtown benches and hikers exploring Tubbs Hill.

But those spring-like conditions are about to change.

Windy conditions are likely today, with gusts of 15 to 20 mph in the Coeur d’Alene area. Nesbit said residents of Athol, Sandpoint and Spirit Lake can brace for harsher winds.

“Coeur d’Alene shouldn’t see the brunt of it,” she said. “If you’re in the mountains, it’ll be windy.”

Beginning Sunday, a cold air mass is expected to move in from the north and kick off a dip into lower temperatures.

Highs are expected to be in the 20s through next week, with lows in the single digits.

“When you add the winds, it’ll be pretty brisk and cold,” Nisbet said.

A winter storm warning is in effect in the central Panhandle mountains, including Kellogg and St. Maries, until 10 a.m. Sunday. Heavy snow is expected — up to 6 inches in the Silver Valley and up to 20 inches for Lookout Pass.

Nisbet said snowy conditions could be an obstacle for people planning to travel this weekend — but it’s not all bad.

“If you’re going to go skiing, it’s going to rock,” she said with a laugh. “It’s a matter of perspective.”