New round of snow due in region Sunday, Monday

The dry, arctic cold that settled over the Inland Northwest in the past few days will set the stage for a new round of snow, mainly on Sunday and Monday.

Northeast Washington north of Spokane and all of North Idaho are under the gun for substantial accumulations.

A winter storm watch was issued for those areas.

National Weather Service forecasters said 6 to 12 inches of new snow is possible in lower elevations of those areas and 1 to 2 feet or more could fall in the mountains.

In Spokane and the Palouse, forecasters said there remains uncertainty about snowfall amounts and whether snow may change to rain for a period of time Sunday as mild air is drawn ahead of a new offshore low-pressure area.

Even so, the forecast Friday was calling for 4 to 10 inches of snow in Spokane on Sunday and Monday.

Another snowstorm is due Tuesday night but likely will change to rain on Wednesday.

Lows by daybreak today were expected to be frigid again as arctic air hangs tough. Spokane was forecast to drop to minus 5 and Coeur d’Alene to minus 9.

On Friday morning, Spokane International Airport was at minus 4 at 7 a.m. while Coeur d’Alene was at 3 degrees, Felts Field at zero and Deer Park at minus 2.

Spokane set three daily weather records on Thursday: for snowfall at 5.4 inches, for the coldest maximum temperature at 18 degrees and for the coldest low at 3.

Temperature records were also set in Pullman, Wenatchee and Ephrata, Wash.

Today’s high may only reach 19, but a high of 33 is expected Sunday in Spokane.

Temperatures early next week will be in the mid-30s for highs and mid- to upper 20s for lows.

City plow crews will be in Browne’s Addition, clearing north-south streets Monday and east-west streets Tuesday starting at 9 a.m. both days.

Motorists are required to move parked cars off those streets during plowing or the vehicles will be towed.