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March
precipitation records shattered |
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March 31, 2012 |
Not that
many weeks ago, locals expressed concern about
the mild winter and low snow pack, fearing it
bode ill for a dry summer and increased fire
risk. But Mother Nature had a trick up her
sleeve, bringing late snow fall and heavy,
soaking March rains that have shattered
precipitation records all across the Inland
Northwest.
 The National Weather Service has once again
extended a flood warning that had been set to
expire at 11 a.m. today until 11 a.m. Sunday ...
and the weather outlook makes it likely that the
warning will be extended even further, as this
is turning out to be by far the wettest March in
the history of weather record keeping in Bonners
Ferry.
Those records have been kept here since 1907,
when Theodore Roosevelt was President and Pike's
Peak Market in Seattle opened. Before this year,
1950 was the wettest March in Boundary County,
having brought 3.99 inches of moisture. In 1987,
gray March skies brought 3.84 inches. With the
last two days of March, 2012, uncounted and
still dripping, however, this year Bonners Ferry
has seen an astonishing 6.04 inches of moisture.
And we're not the hardest hit. In Priest River,
6.57 inches of precipitation had fallen between
March 1 and March 29, breaking the previous
record of 5.99 inches in 1945; in Sandpoint,
7.88 inches fell this March, breaking the
previous record of 6.7 inches that fell in
March, 1997.
Somewhat surprisingly, problems so far in
Boundary County have been few, but local
emergency managers are keeping a weather eye
out, and have significant concerns that the
situation may well change with little or no
notice, and they encourage everyone in the
county to take precautions and be prepared.
The NWS forecast for the first week in April
promises to keep the risk of flood high, along
with the ancillary problems; mudslides, ground
shift, falling trees and resulting power
outages.
This morning, some parts of Boundary County saw
a dusting of snow, then a rain-snow mix,
followed by pure rain, heavy at times. Some of
us even heard the rumple of thunder.
According to the National Weather Service, we
can expect the same tomorrow, with snow before
11 a.m. down to 2,500 feet, turning to rain,
with another quarter inch predicted.
The cooler temperatures in the days ahead and
dropping snow levels will decrease the amount of
runoff in the mid- and high-elevations, and the
National Weather Service predicts that rivers
and streams will begin receding through next
week, but the outlook isn't all that rosy.
The chance of rain diminishes from an 80-percent
likelihood Sunday to a 60-percent chance
overnight, and Monday's chance is down still
more, dropping to 40-percent, with less than a
tenth of an inch expected. The odds that the
rain will slow somewhat improve on Tuesday, with
a 20 percent chance of rain under continued
cloudy skies after 11 a.m. ... but we're also
likely to see our warmest day yet this spring,
with a high temperature of 57 degrees predicted,
which will help increase the amount of snowpack
turning to water and coming down.
Tuesday night, the chance of precipitation jumps
to 60-percent. While the odds slowly diminish as
we head towards next weekend, it's expected that
we'll stay cloudy and that more rain will fall,
and we could even see the snow level drop to
2,100 feet on Friday ... though a splash of
sunshine is predicted next Saturday, along with
a 30-percent chance of more rain.
There is a ray of hope, however. The National
Weather Service is still reporting that Highland
Flats Road is closed and that Cow Creek Road has
washed out ... neither of which are true. Deep
Creek Loop was closed to small cars for a short
time Friday and Cow Creek had some water over
the roadway, but efforts by Boundary County
emergency responders resolved those issues, and
as of this report (10:20 p.m.), there are no
road closures in Boundary County due to
flooding, though there have been numerous
reports of flooded basements as well as a report
of a mudslide affecting the Burlington Northern
Railroad in the Crossport area.
While Boundary County Emergency Management, law
enforcement and fire crews throughout the county
are there to help should disaster strike, they
rely on and ask for the vigilance of local
residents and property owners, who know or are
learning the risks specific to their piece of
property, to do all they can to stave off the
risk of damage, and to ask and enlist the aid of
neighbors if needed to take preemptive action,
such as sandbagging, clearing out clogged stream
channels when it's safe to do so, moving
livestock and possessions to higher ground.
In potentially trying days such as these,
newcomers to Boundary County quickly learn what
the old timers know as gospel; the greatest
strength of this community is its propensity for
neighbors helping neighbors ... we might argue
and bicker with one another at all other times,
but when the need arises, we stand shoulder to
shoulder and do what needs to be done.
Sandbags and sand are available for free to
county residents at the county landfill,
sandbags can also be picked up at county road
and bridge. Those who see problems, such as
flooded roads, wash-outs or mudslides are asked
to contact the Sheriff's Office as soon as
possible by calling (208) 267-3151, extension 0,
so that appropriate steps can be taken before a
minor situation turns into a crisis; those
facing imminent potential to life or their
property should immediately call 911. |
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