'Big storm' misses area

SANDPOINT - First came the bitter cold, and now heavy snow is blanketing Bonner County and throwing the area's infrastructure into disarray.

With an estimated seven inches of fresh snow as of Thursday morning, the county's first substantial storm will not break any records and is only a pittance compared to the 30 inches parts of Kootenai County received during the same period.

Dr. Dan Barney of the University of Idaho Extension office, who tracks average snowfall and temperature, said the county's actual snowfall could have exceeded seven inches, as measurements can be skewed by gusting winds. Whatever the reading, Barney said the county is on track for a relatively normal winter.

"The big storm kind of missed Sandpoint," Barney said. "This is representative of a very, very typical winter here."

Despite its normality, the storm halted daily business throughout the county.

For the second day this week, Lake Pend Oreille School District canceled school Thursday due to harsh conditions. Bank of America's Sandpoint branch also closed for the day, with officials citing severe weather conditions. The Department of Heath and Human Services Ponderay office also closed Thursday, and all Panhandle Health District offices in North Idaho will be closed Friday.

The snow is also affecting mail delivery. To ensure Christmas mail is received on time, local post office officials are asking residents to keep mailboxes clear of snow and ice and accessible to letter carriers. Letter carriers are instructed not to deliver to mailboxes and locations they consider too difficult or unsafe to access.

Forecasts predict more snow and cold weather throughout the weekend, which prompted Ponderay Mayor Carol Kunzeman to postpone the city's annual Christmas stocking giveaway, originally scheduled for Saturday morning. Kunzeman said city staff will make every effort to hold the event Monday morning, but asked Ponderay residents to call or stop by city hall for confirmation.

Idaho State Police officers had a busy day in the region dealing with a number of accidents caused by the treacherous conditions. In North Idaho alone, ISP reported 51 slide-off accidents, two hit-and-run crashes, six accidents that damaged property and two accidents that resulted in personal injuries.

ISP is advising North Idaho residents to stay home whenever possible.