Snow leaves some roads icy

Two inches of new snow that fell late Sunday left roads icy earlier today, but warming temperatures had melted much of the snow by noon. Fog was reported in some locations this morning, including Fairchild Air Force Base and Spokane International Airport, where flights were on time, but lifted by afternoon. Forecasters said any additional precipitation should fall as rain as snow levels rise to about 2,900 feet in elevation. A 20 to 30 percent chance of rain or snow is expected Tuesday and Wednesday with highs in the upper 30s. Partly sunny to mostly sunny conditions are predicted for Thursday and Friday with highs creeping up to 40 degrees both days. Lows at night should be in the mid-20s. The overnight snowfall came from a band of clouds that pushed northward Sunday from a major Pacific storm that moved into California overnight. The Inland Northwest was at the very northern fringe of the system that was battering California today. Another shot of snow or rain could come from a weak wave created by a low over Canada on Tuesday and Wednesday, forecasters said. Snowfall in Spokane for the fall-winter season was at 84.5 inches, largely due to about three weeks of heavy snow in late December and early January. The all-time record in Spokane is 93.5 inches in 1949-50. Despite the heavy snow, precipitation during the current season is about .7 inches below the Spokane normal of 8.3 inches since Oct. 1.