North Idaho drought fears dissipate with rain
Raindrops glisten on leaves in Coeur d'Alene on Wednesday.
BILL BULEY/Press
COEUR d'ALENE — Following a nearly rainless April, May is turning into a traditional rainy month in North Idaho.
Climatologist Cliff Harris said that from Tuesday night through Wednesday morning, .91 inches of rain fell in Coeur d'Alene.
"That helped us a lot," Harris said.
That brought the month's total to 1.84 inches, not far from the normal total of 2.37 inches for May.
Harris said recent cooler temperatures, with highs in the 50s and overnight lows dipping into the 30s, brought more rain with it.
"We are very close to normal," Harris said.
It's rained 11.48 inches so far this year, nearly at the normal 11.63 at this time of the year.
Harris said the area was looking at drought conditions when only .39 inches of rain fell in April, but he said drought fears have almost been washed away with heavy rains.
"We've come out of it," he said.
Harris expects more rain today and Friday, and again next week before it warms up into the 70s again.