Showers dampen region this morning

Light rain and drizzle covered the Spokane area early this morning, and are expected to continue through the day today. Clouds were reported in Coeur d’Alene and Deer Park. Pullman had a mix of rain and snow. National Weather Service forecasters put the chance of rain or showers at 70 percent today and 30 percent tonight for the Spokane and Coeur d’Alene areas. Highs today may only reach the lower 50s with a low tonight of about 34. A low pressure system that initially moved onshore across northern California has been circulating moisture northward since Monday, and is expected to keep the moisture flowing to the region today. That low will move out of the West and into the Canadian prairies later today, allowing for skies to dry out. Wednesday offers a break in the damp weather with partly sunny skies and highs in the upper 50s. The chance of showers returns for the rest of the weak as a new Pacific low forms off the West Coast and remains in place for several days, allowing moist warm air to migrate northward. Highs should reach the middle 60s on Thursday and then 70 on Friday before returning to the 60s over the weekend with a chance of showers all four days. At 7 a.m., it was 41 at Spokane International Airport and Coeur d’Alene, 43 in downtown Spokane and 40 in Deer Park.