Coeur dâAlene sits on a small spit at the north end of a large lake of the same name. The setting is decidedly attractive, with lake views on three sides of downtown and mountains on all sides looking south. The mountains are densely forested with fir trees, while trees in the immediate area of the town are sparse.
Jet streams are like rivers of wind high above in the atmosphere. These slim strips of strong winds have a huge influence on climate, as they can push air masses around and affect weather patterns.
The jet stream has been pushed northward over Alaska, allowing warmer temperatures to reach farther north than usual. Then the jet stream dives southward through central Canada and the eastern United States, which has dragged the colder air we expect to see over Alaska much further south into the U.S. mainland.