Kootenai County Hills Turn Vibrant Green Saturday Normally Seen In Spring

Tubbs Hill, McEuen Park and nearby trails in Kootenai County were a vivid green Saturday, a color usually reserved for spring, and visitors found “no snow to be seen,” photographer Hailey Hill captured a hiker sitting on a rocky outcropping on Tubbs Hill that is “usually covered in snow this time of year.” Mild daytime temperatures neared 50 degrees, and the warm weather drew walkers, hikers and runners to the parks.

Hiker Liz Martin summarized the oddity: “I can’t remember there ever being a January with no snow at all.” Martin added, “I’m not really sure how to feel about it.” Runner Dan Jordan said, “I’m enjoying it while it lasts.” Those on trails enjoyed immediate benefits - easier walking, accessible routes and a boost to businesses tied to recreation - but experts warn the scene signals deeper challenges for water and public health.

Hydrologist David Hoekema described the winter as historically severe. “This year we are facing the warmest winter on record,” Hoekema said, noting “the previous record had been set nearly 100 years ago in 1934.” Hoekema said warmer temperatures have forced the region’s snowpack upward from a typical elevation of 3,500 to 4,000 feet to about 6,000 feet, leaving “only a small portion of area basins currently have ‘good’ snowpack.” He added, “We are missing a huge volume of snow due to this retreat in the snowpack.”

The numbers underscore the scale of the deficit: the Kootenai Basin is missing 71.7% of expected snowpack, the Pend Oreille Basin is missing 66.2%, and the Spokane Basin is missing 96.9%. Snowpack deficits are widespread below 6,000 feet. For the short term, “the pattern is expected to continue, with less-than-average precipitation forecasted for the next few weeks.”

Low snowpack and early warmth have public-health and equity implications for Kootenai County. Reduced late-season runoff can strain municipal and agricultural water supplies, heighten wildfire risk and extend fire seasons that expose people to smoke and respiratory hazards. Households on fixed incomes, rural residents with private wells, and outdoor workers could face disproportionate burdens from water restrictions and poor air quality. Local health systems and community organizations may need to plan for heat, smoke and water access challenges weeks to months before typical seasonal shifts.

The region’s ecology helps explain why the change feels stark. The Inland Maritime Foothills and Valleys ecoregion includes the wide, glaciated Pend Oreille and Priest valleys; its forests contain western hemlock, western redcedar, grand fir, Douglas fir, ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine, and an unusually large proportion of western larch. Understories include Vaccinium species; one botanical description lists “Vasz grouse whortleberry, grouseberry” as a low perennial shrub with bright green stems and bright red fruit.

What comes next matters for water security and public health. Hoekema warned, “Unless cool temperatures and storms pick up in late February and March, North Idaho will face a fourth summer of drought.” Residents and local agencies should watch forecasts, prepare for conservation measures, and prioritize support for those most likely to be hit hardest if drought and wildfire risks deepen.