More wet weather on the way, forecasts say
Sandpoint Fire Capt. Jake Hilton removed snow Sunday from a hydrant at the corner of Division and Ontario. The SFD and other firefighting agencies ask the public to adopt a fire hydrant in your neighborhood. Hilton said valuable firefighting time is wasted if firefighters have to find a hydrant that is buried in snow and ice. (Photo by DAVID KEYES)
SANDPOINT - Bonner County officials are reminding residents to remain vigilant about inspecting their roofs for excessive snow and taking other precautions due to additional storms in the forecast.
"We've got some pretty rough weather coming up," said Bob Howard, Bonner County's director of Emergency Management.
The National Weather Service in Spokane is predicting 2-4 inches of new snow in valleys and as much as 6 inches in the mountains today. Highs are expected to be in the 30s. Tonight, the precipitation could be a mix of rain and snow, according to the weather service.
Rain and mountain snow are forecasted for Wednesday, with light accumulations above 4,500 feet. Overnight rain is predicted for Wednesday night, the weather service said on Monday.
Howard said the warmer weather and the prospect of rain could spell trouble for roofs which are already caked with snow.
"It doesn't take much rain to stoke up that snow and make it heavy," he said.
There have been several roof collapses so far this season, but no reports of injuries. County Commissioner Joe Young said heavy snow loads have claimed a barn north of Ponderay and a mobile home in the Priest River area.
Young said most county facilities currently have snow loads of about 20 feet per square inch. The roof over the prosecutor's office has about 30 feet per square inch and is being closely watched, he said.
More than 30 inches of snow fell in December 2007 and more than 50 inches fell in December 2008, according to the University of Idaho extension office in Sandpoint. A total of 55 inches fell in January of last year and 15 inches has fallen so far this month.
The county declared an emergency last year because of excessive snow, but commissioners are not ready to pull the trigger on a declaration for this year.
"So far, it seems like we're better off right now than we were last year," Young said. "It doesn't seem like we've got the worries with the weight of the snow at this point in time. With us getting rain here maybe in the next couple of days, that may change."