Winds ease; snow appears in weekend forecast

The Inland Northwest is seeing a break between storm systems today and Thursday before the next series of storms arrives, culminating in a chance of snow down to 2,500 feet in elevation on Sunday morning. Winds in Spokane peaked at 46 mph on Tuesday afternoon at Spokane International Airport, causing power outages and bringing down tree debris. Elsewhere, Uniontown in Whitman County saw a top gust of 60 mph. Mostly sunny skies and a high of 54 are expected today as cool air spills into the area in the wake of Tuesday’s cold front. Temperatures rebound on Thursday with a high of 62 under partly sunny skies. Storms return starting Thursday night and will continue off and on through the weekend with precipitation chances between 30 and 60 percent every 12 hours. Cooler weather brings down the snow level early Sunday when temperatures are likely to drop into the lower and middle 30s with a chancee of snow or rain at lower elevations. The snow level will be down to about 2,500 feet in elevation in the morning hours before temperatures start to warm. However, the chance of precipitation is 40 percent. Sunday’s high may only reach 48. Spokane Valley is at 2,000 feet or so while Spokane International Airport is at 2,350 feet.