There's more snow near the gulf states than North Idaho
January has produced some amazing and unbelievable weather patterns across the U.S. The lower elevations of North Idaho continue to struggle for snow as only 8.4 inches have been measured at Cliff’s station in Coeur d’Alene for the season to date. According to his records, this is the lowest amount of snowfall at this time of year in recorded history.
At the Spokane International Airport, snowfall totals have been a little higher. As of the weekend, exactly 13 inches has been reported for the 2024-25 season. It’s very unusual that Spokane will receive more seasonal snow than Coeur d’Alene, especially during the middle of winter.
Our normal seasonal snowfall to date in Coeur d’Alene is over 46 inches, so we’re well below average. The least amount of snow in a single season in our region occurred back in 1933-34 when only 11.2 inches fell. Cliff and I still believe that February’s snowfall total will be at least near-normal levels. The long-range computer models are continuing to show a chilly weather pattern with occasional snow across the Inland Northwest.
If all goes well, this pattern of increased snowfall will likely persist into the early to mid-portion of March. Therefore, it’s unlikely that we’ll set the record for the 1933-34 least snowfall for Coeur d’Alene.
What is more amazing about this January pattern is the frigid weather that has pushed into the center of the country. Frigid temperatures down to near -25 degrees Fahrenheit were reported in the Great Plains near the Canadian border last week. However, the big weather newsmaker was the historic snowstorm that hit the typically mild to warm Gulf Coast region last week as well. Snow was reported all the way down to the beaches from Texas to the Carolinas. Many people were calling this storm a “once-in-a-lifetime event.”
According to data from the National Weather Service and AccuWeather, the big snowstorm broke records that stood for at least 100 years. For example, the big system dropped 8.9 inches of snow at Pensacola, Fla. This city is located at the southern end of the Florida Panhandle, so snowfall like this is practically unheard of. Lafayette picked up 9 inches and is located near the beaches of Louisiana. New Orleans picked up 8 inches with nearly a foot reported across parts of the region. Mobile, Ala., had 7.5 inches of snow last week.
Incredibly, the big cities located near the Gulf Coast have received more snow to date for the winter of 2024-25 than Coeur d’Alene. However, it’s not just North Idaho that has received less snow than the southern U.S. thus far. Many northern cities across the Dakotas, Iowa and New York have also received less snow since Dec. 1, which is the start of the “meteorological winter season.” Anchorage, Alaska, has not even received 4 inches of snow since Dec. 1.
The record snows in the Deep South and the frigid temperatures east of the Rockies were primarily generated by the infamous “polar vortex.”
The polar vortex is a relatively large upper-level low-pressure system consisting of large masses of cold, dense Arctic air that is located near the North Pole. There’s also a polar vortex at the South Pole. When the polar vortex is strong, the frigid cold air mass will often stay confined near the North Pole as the jet stream increases in strength. But, when the vortex weakens and splits into two or more vortices, the cold air will often push southward.
Most of the time, when the polar vortex moves southward, the strongest portions are near Baffin Island, Canada, an area just southwest of Greenland, and northeastern Siberia. The Cascade and Rocky Mountains often protect the West from these intense Arctic blasts as most of them go to the east of our region. However, there are occasions when there is an intense Arctic outbreak over the northern portions of the western U.S. and southwestern Canada like in 1950, 2014 and late December 2021. In this case, much of the energy of the Arctic invasion was directed across central Canada southward into the central and eastern portions of the U.S.
Forecasting the behavior of the polar vortex is difficult, especially on a long-term basis. Historical data for the phenomenon is only available for approximately 60 years, so additional information is needed to better understand its effects.
In terms of our local weather, the next chance for snow in the region is at the end of this week. This storm should be followed by very chilly air moving southward from the Arctic. More snow is expected during the first few weeks of February as moisture overrides the colder air locked in over the region. The average snowfall for Coeur d’Alene in February is 11.9 inches.
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Contact Randy Mann at randy@longrangeweather.com.