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The
Weather Outside is Delightful in Sandpoint and on Schweitzer Mountain
Spring is here, and we
can look forward to months of mid 70s, gentle rains, and festivals and events
that make going outdoors a dream
To see our specific forecast and graphs on our weather go to
http://sandpointid.net/Sandpoint-Weather.html
by Gary Lirette
When Tom Chasse and Jennifer Ekstrom, CEO and Communications Manager
respectively for Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort appeared
on my show,
North Idaho Arts and Adventure, Tuesday, December 16, 2008, we
talked about everything but the weather. So, here is a remedy. Schweitzer is
coming off two record seasons, being ranked in Ski Magazine's Top 25 Ski Resorts
and #3 for Tree Skiing last year, and, with Sandpoint, in AskMen's Top 10 Resort
Towns this spring. While we have lots of great stuff up here in North Idaho, one
of our best facets is our weather. We have had two big snow years, and by the
end of December, Jennifer announced that Schweitzer had already reached the
halfway mark for snow totals for the year.
Still, weather in Sandpoint is a gentle friend, made mild by the greenhouse effect that
evaporation from massive Lake Pend Oreille proffers. In Florida, when the Army
Corps of Engineers straightened one meandering waterway, the cover that had kept
the citrus industry warm for generations ceased to function, forcing the
industry farther south due to freezes now occurring where the waters once flowed
freely. In Sandpoint, Hope, and Sagle, Idaho, the 148 square mile Lake Pend
Oreille, with 111 miles of shoreline, creates what locals call the 'banana
belt,' often keeping temperatures much warmer than surrounding areas. We do have
a good amount of rain, but temperatures during summer are generally mild. For
about a month of the year, temps rage above 100°, and in recent years, can hit
105° or even 107°.
While winter 2007-2008 dumped record flakes, normally Sandpoint and North Idaho
gets 71 inches in the valleys of snowfall. Some reports state that Annual
snowfall on Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort is 300 inches, though others claim
roughly 21 to 25 feet. Annual precipitation in Sandpoint is 31-35 inches,
depending on which refererence is used. For our purposes, we have listed some
irrefutable tables below, and links back to their sites. Temperatures are mostly
near 32°, though this can mean snow melting into ice and freezing overnight some
seasons.
The general consensus is that weather is a pleasure in North Idaho. Summers are
gentle and mild, with occasional rainfall and temperatures near 80°, and winter
has great snowfall with temperatures being considerably warmer than other
western states. This makes Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort a charmer, since we
typically always have snow, but with much more bearable cold. This, coupled with
the fantastic views of Lake Pend Oreille, and being named to Ski Magazine's Top
25 Ski Resorts has made our area a favorite destination.
Taking the weather together with the incredible scenery, wildlife, friendly
small town atmosphere, and great lake life, has made the national press take
notice. Sandpoint has been touted as the 'West's Best Small Town' in Sunset
Magazine, one of 'America's Best Small Towns' in Outsider, and several write ups
as one of America's Top Resort Towns.
We love all of our four seasons. Wouldn't you like to live here?
If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at any time.
Gary Lirette
Realtor, Tomlinson Sandpoint Sotheby's International Realty
Host of
North Idaho Business
&
North Idaho
Arts & Adventure
on KSPT and KBFI
208-610-1384
garyplirette@nctv.com |
