Rainy Days Ahead: What's Up with the Weather?

The Inland Northwest has been dry for a while, but things are changing. Rain is finally here, and it's not planning to leave soon. In Coeur d'Alene, almost 3 inches of rain have fallen this month, which is more than the usual 2. 22 inches for October. This change in weather is linked to something called La Niña. It's when the sea surface in the south-central Pacific Ocean is cooler than normal. This La Niña is expected to be weak and last until early 2026. But even so, it's making the northwestern part of the country wetter than usual. Halloween night might be rainy. There's a good chance of rain on October 31, with the heaviest rain likely in the first few days of November. If it rains on Halloween, it could be a bummer for trick-or-treaters. Rain falls on Halloween about 40% of the time in Coeur d'Alene. The average temperature on Halloween is between 52 and 34 degrees. The warmest Halloween was in 1938, with a high of 72 degrees. The coldest was in 1935, with a low of 2 degrees. The wettest Halloween was in 2016, with 1. 20 inches of rain. And in 1971, there was even 3 inches of snow on Halloween. Weather can be wild around Halloween. In 1846, heavy snow in the Sierra Nevada mountains trapped 87 pioneers, a tragedy known as the "Donner Pass Tragedy. " In 1965, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, got nearly 14 inches of rain on Halloween. In 1991, the "Halloween Blizzard" dumped heavy snow and ice on the Upper Midwest. And in 1991, there was also "The Perfect Storm, " a nor'easter that combined with Hurricane Grace, causing over $200 million in damage. Measuring snow is a science. Cliff Harris has been measuring snowfall in Coeur d'Alene since 2003. He takes measurements at three different spots in his backyard to get the most accurate readings. He measures snow before it melts to avoid losing accuracy. The National Weather Service reports snowfall in tenths of an inch and takes readings up to four times a day. To get the liquid equivalent from snow, Cliff Harris melts the collected snow in his rain gauge, usually in a microwave. If you want to measure snowfall this season, find a spot where the wind won't create snow drifts. If there are drifts, take measurements at several locations and average them out. NOAA suggests using a snowboard or an open flat surface, like a table or deck, to measure snow. A lighter-colored board, about 2 by 2 feet, would work well.