Weekend likely to see season’s first good snowfall

Weather forecasters may have missed their call for a decent snowstorm earlier this week, but they are promising to make up for it over the weekend.

A series of storms headed toward the Inland Northwest threatens to do what earlier storms failed to do, starting with light snowfall today of less than a half inch and up to another half inch tonight.

Then, 1 to 3 inches is possible Saturday night to be followed by another 1 to 3 inches late Sunday night and Monday morning in Spokane.

Coeur d’Alene may see up to 2 inches Saturday night and 2 to 4 inches overnight Sunday into Monday.

Forecasters said the Sunday night storm is likely to pick up after midnight and continue through the predawn hours Monday.

Milder air mixing in from the south should cause snow levels to rise and bring a mix of precipitation types initially over southern portions of the region.

As the warm front spreads toward Spokane, the snow will change over to mixed precipitation and rain, resulting in the possibility of a slushy mess by commute time on Monday.

Spokane will be on the colder side of the storm Sunday night, and the timing of the warm front’s arrival will affect total snowfall, forecasters said late Thursday.

On Monday, the snow level will go to 2,800 feet over Spokane but remain low in valleys to the north. Mountains will continue to see snow.

Colder air by nighttime will bring a return of snowy conditions.

The parade of storms should ease by Tuesday, but breezy to windy conditions are expected and drifting is possible in some places, forecasters said.

Highs in Spokane will be in the middle 30s with lows in the upper 20s through Tuesday.