U.S. 395 closed again near Colville; Spokane rain on Monday broke daily record

U.S. Highway 395 just northwest of Colville was closed again on Tuesday morning as a rain-swollen creek continued spilling across a low spot in the highway.

In Spokane, the National Weather Service reported Monday’s rainfall at Spokane International Airport broke the daily record. The airport is the city’s official weather observation site.

The city received 0.51 inches of rain Monday, just edging out the previous record of 0.50 in 1948.

Major spring floods occurred in 1948, a year that has parallels with the past months of soggy, snowy weather from late 2016 to well into 2017.

The flooding of U.S. 395 at Colville had the highway closed for weeks. Saturated soils have weakened the roadway, officials said.

U.S. 395 also was closed in Ferry County at Matsen Creek from a washout. A contractor was on-site making repairs.

Passenger vehicles can use a detour around the area, but heavier trucks are restricted on secondary routes.

State Highway 21 remained closed at the West Fork of the Sanpoil River where a washout claimed a small bridge. A temporary bridge was under construction there.

A major landslide on state Highway 20 west of Okanogan continues to close that highway.

A landslide also has slowed traffic along U.S. Highway 95 south of Bonners Ferry where traffic is down to one lane with flaggers directing alternating lines of traffic.

Also in Idaho, state Highway 5 southeast of Coeur d’Alene is down to a single lane of traffic with a traffic light controlling vehicles.

U.S. Highway 12 east of Lewiston also has mudslide dangers causing delays.

The National Weather Service is calling for a 70 percent chance of showers on Tuesday, including scattered thunderstorms from 2 to 5 p.m.

“The ingredients are there to have some weak to moderate thunderstorms,” forecaster Bryce Williams said about Tuesday afternoon’s weather.

The forecast this week calls for mostly sunny skies on Wednesday, rain showers on Thursday and mostly sunny weather on Friday.

A tenth- to a quarter-inch of rain could fall Tuesday and again on Thursday in Spokane with higher amounts in and near the mountains.