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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
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Forecast calls for storms

Early morning fog fills the Hangman Valley and Latah Creek areas as brightly colored train cars traverse the bridge just west of downtown Spokane on Friday. Forecasts for Sunday and Monday call for storms that could bring snow to lower elevations. (Christopher Anderson / The Spokesman-Review)
By Mike Prager mikeprager15@gmail.com(509) 459-5454
Early morning fog fills the Hangman Valley and Latah Creek areas as brightly colored train cars traverse the bridge just west of downtown Spokane on Friday. Forecasts for Sunday and Monday call for storms that could bring snow to lower elevations. (Christopher Anderson / The Spokesman-Review)

Rain-swollen creeks and rivers that washed out roads and threatened an important North Idaho railroad bridge prompted a disaster declaration for Bonner County at the same time forecasters are predicting new rounds of rain and mountain snow throughout the weekend.

A Friday night storm that was forecast to ease today is expected to be followed by a second, stronger storm Sunday and Monday. That second storm could bring snowfall to lower elevations of Spokane and Coeur d’Alene on Sunday evening, said Todd Carter, forecaster for the National Weather Service.

“We have a very active storm track now, and it is pulling a lot of moisture off the Pacific,” Carter said.

The National Weather Service in Spokane on Friday issued a heavy snow warning for 8 to 11 inches Friday night and this morning in the mountains of northeast Washington and North Idaho. A snow advisory was in effect for the east slopes of the Cascade Mountains along the Interstate 90 corridor where up to 7 inches could fall.

In urban areas of Spokane and Kootenai counties, rain was expected below 3,000 feet elevation today, but 1 or 2 inches of snow could be seen above that elevation. Snow levels were forecast on Friday to drop to 2,500 feet by Sunday, but Carter said snow could even fall in downtown Spokane at about 1,900 feet elevation if cooler conditions develop.

Chewelah Peak north of Spokane had 6 inches of new snow Friday afternoon.

The disaster declaration by Idaho Gov. Jim Risch on Thursday comes as Bonner County crews try to fix two important roads washed out by heavy rains in the eastern part of the county early in the week.

County Commissioner Marcia Phillips said $50,000 has been spent so far in emergency repairs to East Spring Creek Road, which saw widespread damage from about 20 inches of rain that fell over the mountains of the area prior to the washouts on Tuesday. Upper Pack River Road was also damaged.

Phillips said that road experts would be assessing the damage on East Spring Creek Road today. Some assistance is being provided by the state’s homeland security office, she said.

The governor’s declaration makes $150,000 in disaster relief available for repairs.

“Heavy rain and subsequent flooding in parts of Bonner County have caused serious damage to roads and possibly drinking water systems,” Risch said in a prepared statement. “At the request of the Bonner County commissioners I have approved the use of state disaster funds to assist them with their repair work.”

Phillips said the declaration is good news for the county, which had no money to pay for the disaster. “Any help we can get to cover those expenses would be greatly appreciated,” she said.

County officials are awaiting today’s assessment by experts to learn how much it will cost to make the road repairs.

An estimated 175 homes east of Sandpoint were left isolated by the washouts. Scores of large cedars and cottonwoods were ripped up by their roots and carried downstream by the floods. Roads were reopened with emergency repairs by Wednesday.