Weekend weather: Quick break in October rains

The wettest October since 1950 shows little signs of letting up over the next several days, although a break in the precipitation is possible on Saturday afternoon when partly sunny skies are in the forecast.

Through Wednesday, Spokane has seen 3.28 inches of rain, making it the fourth wettest October since record keeping started in 1881.

A series of storms carrying subtropical rains have soaked the Inland Northwest, enough so that a flood watch is in effect for the north central Cascades.

A new round of subtropical moisture is poised to make Thursday another wet day with periods of heavy rain.

More than one-half inch of rain may fall in the Spokane and Coeur d’Alene areas on Thursday.

Greater rainfall amounts are likely in the mountains.

A cold front is expected to cross the region on Thursday night and bring lighter rainfall and gusty winds before drier weather arrives after 11 p.m.

Friday brings a slight chance of showers.

Saturday could be the driest day of the next several days with partly sunny skies.

Light rain is possible on Saturday night and Sunday. Rain chances increase on Monday.

High temperatures are expected to be in the lower to middle 50s for the next several days with lows in the lower 40s.

Gusty winds are possible at times.

In the mountains, snow levels start out at 5,500 to 6,000 feet in elevations and then rise to 7,000 to 8,000 feet on Thursday as the subtropical air gets carried into the region.

Later in the weekend, snow levels will drop to about 5,000 feet in northern mountains and 6,000 to 6,500 feet in mountains to the south of Spokane and Coeur d’Alene.

For this time of year, the normal high in Spokane is 56 and the normal low is 36.