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

Thunderstorms rolling toward Lake Coeur d’Alene

Lines of thunderstorms have been spotted on National Weather Service radar this afternoon near Lake Coeur d’Alene and south of Colville, forecasters said. The storms could contain penny- to marble-sized hail or heavy rain and wind. Storms were moving into the Fairfield and Rockford areas near the Washington-Idaho state line and toward Lake Coeur d’Alene at 3 p.m. Boaters were being cautioned to take shelter. The storms should subside after 4:30 p.m. Otherwise, the Spokane and Coeur d’Alene areas are getting a short break in this spring’s wet weather pattern today and Tuesday, although afternoon showers are possible today. The National Weather Service is calling for mostly cloudy skies. The weather service has increased the chance of afternoon showers from 20 to 40 percent in Spokane and from 30 to 50 percent in Coeur d’Alene. The high today should reach the upper 60s. Thunderstorms with heavy rain and marble-sized hail are possible near the mountains of North Idaho. Another Pacific storm is expected to arrive by Tuesday night or Wednesday with a low-pressure system lingering over the region until Friday. Computer forecast models are showing that warm and dry weather is likely this weekend, but a new storm could arrive early next week as the wet pattern resumes, forecasters said. A flood warning was in effect this morning for the Snake River in the vicinity of Lewiston because of heavy runoff from recent rains combined with snow melt. A measuring station along the river was above flood stage, but the water level was starting to drop. Dam operators on the river were being forced to release more water than usual because of higher incoming water flows. A weak ridge of higher air pressure should bring a break in the wet weather on Tuesday, but forecasters said they expect more rain again on Tuesday night and Wednesday. Spokane International Airport saw 0.08 inches of rain on Sunday, but that came after an inch of rain fell at the airport since last Tuesday. Inland Northwest residents won’t need to run their sprinklers this week. A potentially wet storm system is being forecast to arrive starting Tuesday night. Like other recent storms, it is showing up on forecast models as another wet weather system, forecasters said. At 7 a.m., it was mild across the region with 52 degrees reported at Spokane International Airport, Coeur d’Alene and Deer Park and 54 in downtown Spokane and Pullman.