COEUR d'ALENE - Sunny skies are in the forecast, water levels are sliding back toward normal and so far, Kootenai County has weathered the spring season with nary a flood in sight.

Now's the time to wait and see.

"We're not out of the woods yet," said Sandy Von Behren of the county's Office of Emergency Management. "What we really anticipate next week is we might see higher rises in rivers and lakes. People should be keeping a close eye on things."

Up on the mountainsides of North Idaho, the snow is still piled high. The Natural Resources Conservation Service collects snowpack data from high-elevation measurement sites, recording snow water content levels.

The snow water equivalent in the Coeur d'Alene Basin was 340 percent of average on Friday, according to NRCS. The St. Joe Basin was 214 percent of average, while the Spokane Basin was 270 percent.

In the Coeur d'Alene drainage, the site at Lookout Pass - 5,140 feet above sea level - registered 23.7 inches of snow water equivalent. Using an NRCS formula, the figure works out to roughly 47 inches of snow.

Elsewhere, the station at Lost Lake in the St. Joe Basin - elevation 6,110 - recorded 67.4 inches of snow water equivalent, or nearly 135 inches of snow.

That's well above average, said NRCS Water Supply Specialist Ron Abramovich. In fact, the snowpack reading on June 1 broke a late-season NRCS record.

A cold, wet spring is responsible for the slow melting process.

"There's still a tremendous amount (of snow) in the high country," Abramovich said. "Once it does warm up, the rivers are going to be high for awhile. Once we start having constant warm temperatures, the snow is there, just waiting to melt."

The National Weather Service predicts clear, 76-degree weather today. Sunday's forecast calls for mostly sunny skies with a high of 80 degrees.

On Monday and Tuesday, rain showers appear likely.

Some flooding could be possible in low-lying areas, depending on weather conditions, an Office of Emergency Management press release said. At-risk property owners should make preparations for rising waters.

The county has stored sandbags at strategic sites, but the supplies will only be available during a major flooding emergency, Von Behren said. Residents can purchase sandbagging materials from cement companies, building supply stores and feed and grain stores.

"If there's an area that needs to be sandbagged, this would be the time," Von Behren said.

As the melt-off intensifies, small streams and creeks will rise first, she said. They will be swift and cold, and residents should be wary of fast-moving water.

"We're telling people to keep on eye on their children and pets," she said.

Boaters and water enthusiasts should exercise great caution, the press release noted. With water temperatures ranging from the lower 50s to upper 30s, hypothermia will be a legitimate risk.

Joe Wuest, Lakes Highway District road supervisor, said all the roads in his district are flood-free. Roads in the Eastside Highway District are also clear, with the exception of some high water in the Rose Creek Area, according to foreman Tim Day.

"There's always that potential (for flooding), but right now we don't have any trouble spots," Wuest said. "We'll see what happens this weekend. I know there's a lot of snow to come down."