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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Snow, snow and more snow

Crews remove snow from Cedar under the railroad tracks in Spokane, Wash.  Tuesday, December 23, 2008. (Jesse Tinsley / The Spokesman-Review)
After a brief break today, forecasters say to brace for more snow. The Inland Northwest will see two more storms before the weekend is over, said Greg Koch, a National Weather Service meteorologist. A winter storm watch issued by the weather service begins Wednesday afternoon and ends Thursday morning. “We’re watching the next storm come toward us,” Koch said. “We are expected to see light snow develop (Wednesday) morning and become heavier in the afternoon and evening hours.” By the time snow comes to an end on Christmas, Spokane is expected to see 5 to 8 inches, Koch said. Higher amounts are expected in Coeur d’Alene. “Spots in Sandpoint, Colville and Deer Park may receive 8 to 12 inches of snow by Christmas night,” Koch said. High temperatures will be in the low teens today with lows in the single digits, according to the weather service. The mercury will rise into the 20s for Christmas Eve and Day. Koch said the next winter system is coming Saturday into Sunday. “It’s hard to say how much snow we’ll get, but it very well could be significant again,” he said. So far this season, Spokane has had 37.5 inches of snow at the airport, Koch said. The 30-year average is 17 inches. As of midnight, this is the fifth snowiest December. And with more than a week left to go, calendar year 2008 is already the snowiest on record.