For many North Idahoans, the weather lately has felt like nothing compared to previous winters in the area.
What is usually several feet of snow and weekly snowfall has now become clear roads, melting prairies and tons of rain.
On Feb. 2, Groundhog Day was celebrated, where the groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, did not see his shadow.
“It makes me feel sad because it affects my snowboarding, but it is also good because I like spring, and when spring comes, summer comes after,” Baylee Frank said.
According to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, the tradition originally started in Germany; however, a hedgehog was used. The transition to the next season was predicted based on whether or not the hedgehog saw its shadow.
When the tradition migrated to the US, the lack of hedgehogs led to the American substitution of groundhogs.
No shadow means it is predicted there will be an early spring and winter is coming to an end. If Phil were to see his shadow, then it is predicted winter would continue for about six more weeks.
Groundhog Day has been a tradition in Pennsylvania since 1887, which many people are quick to assume automatically guarantees an early spring or late winter. According to an article on Fox Weather, Phil’s predictions have proven to be accurate about 39 percent of the time.
However, with the weather the Lakeland Joints School District 272 has experienced lately, many students are expecting the winter months to wrap up early.
Frank has found the warmer weather refreshing compared to previous long cold months.
“I think winter is fun, but I feel like in Idaho, over half of our year is winter, and I don’t want it to be half,” Frank said. “I’d rather have a couple of months of winter and then other seasons.”
Although the LJSD 272 has already experienced two snow days, and the North Idaho area experienced a cold snap in mid-January, snow seems to be melting fast.
Students and staff are quick to wonder if these warmer conditions are signs that spring is right around the corner or if mother nature is playing a trick on everyone.
“I have been able to workout outside a lot recently,” Shannon Hall, an English teacher at LHS, said. “I prefer to run or walk on trails versus my treadmill, so that makes me happy.”
Although the weather seems to be looking up, February is known to be a cold month for the region. Temperatures in past years show that they slowly start to increase through February.
According to Weather Sparks, Couer d’Alene will see highs that increase by about seven degrees, and the daily lows will increase by about three degrees.
Snow in February is not something to be taken back by in Rathdrum. Many natives are comfortable with the fact that they can still see snow.
However, with such a decrease in snow, the risk of wildfires is heightened during the warmer months.
“I am not complaining now because I don’t love dirty snow lying around,” Hall said. “However, I am worried about wildfire season this summer.”
With the snow clearing up, spring sports will be able to head outside sooner.
Frank is looking forward to her senior year of softball out on the field. The softball program has open gyms inside throughout the winter, and they usually have to practice indoors for a while before the fields are ready to be used.
“I think we’ll be able to get outside a lot quicker this year,” Frank said. “We’re limited inside because of the ceiling and limited space.”
Coaches are also hopeful for the spring sports conditions. The skills athletes can pick up in just a couple of weeks can make a drastic improvement for teams.
“The last two years, we have had to hold our first two to three weeks of tennis practice in the gym, and that is not as effective as being out on the courts,” Hall said.
