This first shot is from Angela in Pullman. The kids will never forget their June snowman.

These next two photos are from the University of Idaho campus, courtesy of Brian Moyer. Brian says he is enjoying June-uary.

And from Pullman, Carlos Santini sent these two wintery June pictures.

National Weather Service Current Hazards page: http://newweb.wrh.noaa.gov/warnings.php?wfo=otx
Local River Forecast: http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/otx/main.php?wfo=otx&pil=rvs&sid=otx
National Weather Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service: http://ahps2.wrh.noaa.gov/ahps2/index.php?wfo=otx
Flood Safety: http://www.weather.gov/floodsafety/
Northwest River Forecast Center: http://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/snow/snow.cgi
Natural Resources Conservation Service snowpack info: http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/snow/update.html

Gardeners in many of our outlying areas have to wait a little longer. For example, the average date of the last frost in Republic is June 10th! For a list of average last frost dates for several towns in Idaho and Washington, click here. Before you plant, be sure to watch kxly4, and I'll keep an eye on any potential frosts for you.

We don't get the big tornadoes here, and it's safe to say that a hurricane or tropical storm will NEVER hit the Inland Northwest, but severe weather does happen here, and it is important to be prepared. It is "Severe Weather Awareness Week" in the Inland Northwest. Our friends at the National Weather Service have put together a six part series of reports on how to prepare and stay safe in any type of severe weather situation. CLICK HERE to learn more.

The airport temperature is from the "Automated Surface Observation System" (ASOS for short). ASOS is the largest and most modern network of weather sensors in the world. They are extremely accurate, automated stations that record the sky condition, visibility, pressure, temperature, dew point, wind and precipitation accumulation, among other things. The temperature is taken about 5 feet above the ground by a shaded electronic temperature sensor. Home thermometers just can't compete!

The Federal Aviation Administration, the Department of Defense and the National Weather Service work together to maintain this network of weather-observing stations. This information is not only used for observations, but it is also fed into the computer models that help meteorologists make their forecasts. Pilots also depend on the information from ASOS for safe flights. That is why these sensors are located at the airport.

One of the limitations of the ASOS system is that not every town has one. That is the main reason why we can't feature every city in the KXLY viewing area on our current conditions map. However, the system is always expanding. You can check in with the various observation sites around the Inland Northwest by CLICKING HERE.

I've never used the Forecast Focus blog for an obituary before, but the passing of MIT meteorologist, Edward Lorenz, strikes me as especially noteworthy today. "Predictability: Does the Flap of a Butterfly's Wings in Brazil Set Off a Tornado in Texas?" That was the title of paper presented by Lorenz in 1972 in an attempt to explain why weather forecasts go bust. The "Butterfly Effect," as he coined it, is the concept that small differences in a dynamic system, like the atmosphere, or more specifically a computer model of the atmosphere, a could trigger a chain reaction of much bigger and unexpected results. The butterfly effect had impacts reaching far beyond the scope of weather, as it was the start of the scientific revolution called chaos theory.

For much more CLICK HERE.

My sweet little daughter Sophie turns five-years-old this week. It seems like we just got home from China with her! Many loyal kxly4 viewers tell me that they remember that day, too. Here's a look back....

This was the season that ski and snowboard enthusiasts had been waiting for. It was certainly the VERY best in the 10 years that I've been visiting Inland Northwest resorts with my snowboard. La Nina, the cooling of the sea-surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific, can take the credit for the plentiful snow, and the below average temperatures that helped produce sparkling champagne powder day after glorious day. At 49° North, it was the most successful season in the resort's history, with the most snow ever experienced at Chewelah Peak, and the greatest number of visitors. At Schweitzer, it was the second best year ever in terms of skier visits. Lookout Pass reported 507" total snowfall for the season!

I'm very sad to say, it's almost over. Silver Mountain, thank goodness, will be open for "Silver Saturdays" through the end of April. Mt. Spokane, Schweitzer Mountain, Lookout Pass and 49° North all closed for the season on Sunday. It isn't for lack of snow that the lifts are now idle. The snow report on closing day at Schweitzer sounded more like mid-February: 4" of fresh powder and more than 100" at the base." However, as the crocus bloom, and the golf courses open, Inland Northwesterners forget about their skis and are ready for Spring. All of that beautiful snow will melt away, recharging our rivers and lakes for the big fun that awaits us this summer.

As of March 31st, the official snowfall total at Spokane International Airport sits at 87.8" for the season, which makes this the 3rd snowiest winter since records have been kept! You might have had a lot more snow than that at your house, especially if you live in north Idaho. Our friends at the National Weather Service have compiled a report about this winter's big snows. CLICK HERE to read more about the snow in Spokane, and some of the other snowfall records set across the U.S.

Typically, you can find the long-range forecast here on my blog on the third Thursday of every month. Unfortunately, last Thursday I found myself in bed with the flu. I apologize that this is late. It might not have been worth waiting for anyway.

For the second month in a row, the long-range outlook released today by the Climate Prediction Center, forecasts an "equal chance of above average or below average precipitation." In other words, there's nothing in the climatologists' tools leading them to believe that our Spring weather pattern will be anything other than average. The temperature forecast also says an "equal chance of above or below average temperatures." We will likely have periods of colder or warmer than average weather, but on a whole, March, April and May will probably be about what you would expect in the Inland Northwest. CLICK HERE for much more on the long-range forecast.

La Nina, the cooling of the sea-surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific, is weakening, but it is expected to maintain at least moderate strength through the Spring. Its impacts on the weather pattern in the Northwest, however, have diminished since the big snows of our La Nina winter.

For more information about our local climate CLICK HERE.

It has been satisfying to see the snow piling up in the mountains this winter. Like money in the bank, the Inland Northwest relies on the water stored in that snow through our long, dry summers. For residents living in areas prone to seasonal flooding, however, it can be too much of a good thing if the spring runoff becomes too robust.

Royce Fontenot is the hydrologist at the Spokane National Weather Service office, and once a month, he issues the "hydrologic outlook" for the Inland Northwest, detailing the amount of snow in the mountains, the forecast for flows on our area rivers, and the potential for flooding. His latest outlook, released today, has some very encouraging things to say. Near normal to above normal runoff volumes are expected this spring and summer, and the mountain snowpack is hearty, despite a dry February. For the water year (which starts October 1st), basin wide snowpack over the Inland Northwest is generally running near to above normal (98%-120% of normal), with the highest basin averages in north Idaho and the Blue Mountains.

Over the short term, the flood potential is low for main stem rivers, to moderate for some of the smaller creeks and streams. The recent warm weather has helped to melt some of the low to middle elevation snowpack, as well as limit icing on area rivers and streams. There is still the risk of the St. Joe River at St. Maries, Idaho to reach flood stage sometime this season. Water supply forecasts also indicate above normal season runoff for the Spokane/Coeur d'Alene and Clearwater basins. All area rivers will need to be monitored closely through the spring to see how they are responding to the melting snowpack, especially if we get a sudden, significant warm-up.

To read Mr. Fontenot's hydrologic outlook, CLICK HERE.
For more information about snowpack, CLICK HERE.
For the Northwest River Forecast Center, CLICK HERE.