Weather change may bring thunderstorms

Last weekend’s warm and sunny weather is moving off as a new low pressure system triggers rain and a chance of thunderstorms starting Tuesday evening. A slow-moving storm has moved into western Washington and Oregon and is causing an increase of clouds and gusty winds in the Inland Northwest today. North to northeast winds could gust to 30 mph later today along the Purcell Trench and Rathdrum Prairie in North Idaho, including Sandpoint, Post Falls and Hayden. Coeur d’Alene could see gusts to 25 mph. Spokane will see lighter winds today. National Weather Service forecasters said the low has the potential to drop a quarter inch of rain or more across most of the region. In addition, it may touch off thunderstorms across Eastern Washington and North Idaho. Northeast winds will also be associated with the storm Tuesday evening. A wind-shear profile associated with the storm could allow thunderstorm formation by creating rotation in large cumulus cloud formations late on Tuesday, forecasters said. Heaviest rain amounts are expected along the Cascades, which have been unseasonably dry from a lack of snow last winter. However, strong thunderstorms are possible in the vicinity of Lewiston, Camas Prairie and the Clearwater River drainage. Showers could linger in the region through Saturday.