Extreme Weather in Northern Idaho: January 2008

Extreme weather conditions cover the northwest with some of the worst local condition near or in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Located only a few short hours from the Canadian border, this scenic town is a summer vacation for people around the world. It is an outdoor paradise during the summer, but today, it is a cold land with condition-red roads.

Already covered with snow from previous storms in the last week the area is now fighting to keep businesses open, roads clear and citizens safe. Driving is limited to only the few that must show up for work or have an emergency. All others are being asked by the media to stay home and off the roads.

On Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2008, Coeur d'Alene was hit by the second wave of a winter storm. It fell from the sky in a beautiful display of large flakes for over thirty hours. Snow piled high in the streets and on roof tops. Several business such as Coeur d'Alene Radiator was shut down because of a collapsed roof and as the day went on other businesses began to show signs of wear. One coffee shop and other small flat roofed businesses had roof fall in or shut down due to the same danger.

On Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2008, the area got it's first break giving businesses time to try to clear roofs of snow from depths of two to three feet. Some home owner feared for their own homes and could be seen walking on their own roofs with shovels removing as much of the layers as possible to lighten the weight. In Spirit Lake one resident reported four feet of snow on her roof. They worked fast because another storm was approaching.

Thursday, Jan. 31, 2008, the snow began to fall during the night and didn't stop. By early morning drivers were trying to get to work in a condition red situation. Snow on the main roads was up to one foot deep in places the snow plows had not yet gotten. Drivers were sliding off the road from ice or from the ridges left from the previous storm. The ridges are dangerous because they will pull the car to one side and possibly cause the car to slide off the road or into other traffic.