Our city-by-city winter of 2025-26 snowfall predictions

Every year in mid-autumn, Cliff and I issue our annual city-by-city snowfall predictions for North Idaho and the surrounding areas of the Inland Empire.

Last season, our seasonal snowfall total in Coeur d’Alene was only 36.1 inches, which is below the 69.8-inch normal. The previous season, 2023-24, ended up at 51.2 inches, so there have been two seasons in a row with less than average snowfall totals in Coeur d’Alene and surrounding regions. The lower-than-average total was likely influenced by the warmer-than-normal sea-surface temperature event, El Niño. A strong El Niño was seen in late 2023 and early 2024 before returning to “La Nada” conditions, or the in-between La Niña and El Niño, in the middle of 2024. The low snowfall totals last season may have been the result of a “lag effect” of the warmer waters.

Conditions are a little different for the upcoming season as ocean waters in the south-central Pacific Ocean are cooler. Earlier this month, a weak La Niña was declared, and it’s expected to last through February 2026.

During the last major La Niña event, which was the winter of 2022-23, Coeur d’Alene’s seasonal snowfall total was 83.8 inches. However, we also had a La Niña during the winter of 2021-22, but the final snowfall total was 66.7 inches at Cliff’s station in Coeur d’Alene.

As I’ve mentioned in previous articles, during La Niña years, the northwestern portion of the country often receives above-normal snowfall. However, if temperatures are too warm, especially in the lower elevations, then snowfall totals would be less, but still good in the mountains as we’re expecting near to above normal moisture totals for this upcoming winter season in the higher mountains.

Based on the weak La Niña sea-surface temperatures, our snowfall prediction for Coeur d’Alene for the 2024-25 season is 61.2 inches, which is slightly below normal levels. Many of our winter storms in recent years have been too warm for snow in the lower elevations and this trend may continue this winter as well. But with a weak La Niña, our region is expected to receive more snow, especially compared to the last season. For this area, a few degrees will make all the difference in the world, especially with rain and snow. It’s also possible that we could see some snow in the lower elevations toward the end of the month. Stay tuned.

For now, here’s our projected seasonal snowfall totals for many eastern Washington and northern Idaho towns and cities. And, depending on what happens over the next several months, we may have to adjust these totals.

1. Area ski resorts should range from approximately 200-250 inches at Mt. Spokane, 225-275 inches at Silver Mountain, to around 325-375 inches at both Lookout Pass and Montana’s Whitefish Mountain.

2. Priest Lake: 75 to 80 inches.

3. Spirit Lake: 73 to 78 inches.

4. Twin Lakes: 74 to 79 inches.

5. Bonners Ferry: 72 to 77 inches.

6. Rathdrum: 70 to 75 inches.

7. Sandpoint: 68 to 73 inches.

8. Wallace: 67 to 72 inches.

9. Athol/Garwood: 66 to 71 inches.

10. Hauser Lake: 65 to 70 inches.

11. Kellogg (town): 65 to 70 inches.

12. Hayden Lake (above 2,400 feet): 64 to 69 inches.

13. Hayden (town): 62 to 67 inches.

14. Newport, Wash.: 61 to 66 inches.

15. Coeur d’Alene (Cliff’s station): 60 to 65 inches. 

16. Dalton Gardens: 59 to 64 inches. 

17. Fernan Lake: 58-63 inches.

18. St. Maries: 57 to 62 inches.

19. Hope: 55 to 60 inches. 

20. Kalispell, Mont.: 53 to 58 inches.

21. Coeur d’Alene (Downtown near The Coeur d'Alene Resort): 52 to 57 inches.

22. Post Falls: 51 to 56 inches.

23. Plummer: 50 to 55 inches.

24. Worley: 49 to 54 inches.

25. Harrison: 48 to 52 inches.

26. Missoula, Mont.: 45 to 50 inches.

27. Spokane (South Hill): 43 to 48 inches.

28. Spokane Valley: 42 to 47 inches.

29. Bayview: 40 to 45 inches.

30. Spokane International Airport: 38 to 42 inches.

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Contact Randy Mann at [email protected].