Bracing For Snow Storm Watch Warns Of 4 To 6 Inches

The 3 inches of snow that fell last weekend and then melted may have been a tease for more to come.

The National Weather Service on Monday issued a winter storm watch Monday, advising people to brace for 4 to 6 inches today in Spokane and North Idaho. “All the watch means is the possibility of heavy snow on Tuesday,” said Paul Frisbie, National Weather Service forecaster in Spokane.

Pacific Ocean moisture was streaming onshore from the Oregon coast Monday. Rain and snow were creeping north all day.

At the same time, arctic air was poised just to the north of Washington state in Canada.

Computer weather forecasts were calling for the possibility of the moist air colliding with the cold for heavy snowfall in Eastern Washington.

Cold could seep into the region through river valleys in North Idaho and central Washington, Frisbie said. If that happens, the Pacific moisture would ride over the top of the cold and drop to the ground as snow.

Snow was reported at nightfall Monday in Lewiston and the Palouse.

If the cold air stays to the north, Spokane and Coeur d’Alene might see rain, or snow mixed with rain today, Frisbie said.

Heavy snow is expected in the mountains.

The storm is expected to ease on Wednesday, but more precipitation could arrive Saturday.

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