A record snowfall: Recent storms shatter 1916 mark for month of February in Lewiston

MoresnowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwGlobal warming’s “Snow will be a thing of the past” continues to perplex scientists with miracles. 

The National Weather Service reported Lewiston saw a record amount of snow for February at 29.5 inches, beating the record of 27.2 inches from 1916.

Elsewhere, the Palouse was trapped in more powder and drifting snow, prompting the Whitman County Sheriff’s Office to caution drivers to avoid travel as county and state roadways became nearly impassable. State Routes 21, 27 and 261 were all closed in both directions because of drifting snow. The National Weather Service predicted 2 to 4 inches of accumulation on the Palouse with back-to-back storms Wednesday and today.

Public entities trying to keep the roads clear will keep up the Sisyphean task, as more snow is predicted in the Palouse region to come next week around Wednesday and Thursday. The valley could be spared from more snow after Friday, but with temperatures estimated to hit the teens into the weekend, significant melting is unlikely.

This month was a record-breaker for February in both precipitation and number of days with measurable snow. Wednesday was the 16th snow day of the month, beating the previous February record of 11 days, according to the National Weather Service.

A record snowfall

It would almost be easier to point out which roads, schools and city services were clear and open Wednesday, rather than list closures after the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley was stacked once again with snow.

Right-Mind