Return to 60 degrees

Coeur d’Alene hit 60 degrees for the first time this year on a beautiful, sunny Friday.

No big deal. It’s late March.

But what is a big deal is that it hasn't snowed in Coeur d’Alene in March, and at this point, with just six days remaining in the month, there's a snowball's chance in hell it will.

That's only happened three other times since 1895.

“We haven’t even had a flake of snow,” said Climatologist Cliff Harris. “Not a trace of snow.”

Which, as he noted, “is extremely rare for March,” especially when considering there have been Marches with more than 25 inches of snow.

Early on, it looked like Coeur d’Alene might have a snowy winter, with 56.6 inches falling as of Jan. 7.

But just 6.4 inches fell the rest of January and February. And as already said, not a flake in March.

That’s the least snow for that stretch in Coeur d’Alene since 1895.

Normal snowfall for that time period is about 36 inches.

Harris said there is zero chance of snow in these final days of March.

“I don’t see it,” he said. “There’s no cold weather in sight that could produce snow.”

Don’t count April out. It’s snowed 28 times in that month since 1895.

Harris said a high-pressure ridge pulling up south-westerly winds is responsible for the lack of snow in North Idaho.

More rain would be nice, Harris said.

It has rained 2.6 inches in March and 8.38 for the year in Coeur d'Alene, which is about average.

“We’re not in any drought yet, but it’s been really dry lately,” he said.