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

Forecast change: little snow expected

National Weather Service forecasters this afternoon have changed an earlier forecast that called for the chance of snow tonight and again Wednesday morning. Only a slight chance of rain or snow is expected before 10 p.m. with a tenth of an inch of snow the most that could fall in the Spokane area. Then a storm that had been forecasted to arrive overnight Tuesday appears not to be materializing as previously thought, said forecaster John Livingston. Whatever falls tonight, and it will mainly be in the mountains, may be all the region will see this week, he said. Livingston said the next system that is currently offshore shows signs of splitting with one branch headed to British Columbia and the other to California. Today’s blustery storm brought light rain and showers. Some snow was reported in the region, including 4 inches southwest of Republic. Southwest winds with gusts to 21 mph are possible this afternoon. Cold air behind the storm’s frontal boundary should change this morning’s relatively mild air to more winter-like conditions tonight through Wednesday. There is a 20 percent chance of rain or snow showers tonight. Earlier today, Snoqualmie Pass on Interstate 90 was 27 degrees with slush along the roadway this morning. Highs today should reach into the 40s with lows tonight in the middle 20s. Tuesday’s high may only reach 39 in downtown Spokane, and cooler in other locations. Today’s weather is a significant change from the mild weather last weekend when highs reached the middle to upper 50s. A drying and warming trend is expected late in the week. At 2 p.m., it was 42 at Spokane International Airport and 44 in downtown Spokane, which was just 2 degrees warmer than the 7 a.m. temperature of 42. Daylight savings time begins on Sunday.