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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Heavy snow expected to blanket Spokane, Coeur d’Alene on Wednesday morning

A pedestrian walks across Wisconsin Ave in Madison, Wis., Friday, Feb. 9, 2018.   The  Midwest is preparing for a wintry blast as a winter storm is expected across the region, with forecasters saying up to a foot of snow is expected in some areas.  (Steve Apps/Wisconsin State Journal via AP) ORG XMIT: WIMAW101 (Steve Apps / AP)

Get your gloves and shovels ready.

The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for the Spokane and Coeur d’Alene areas for Wednesday morning.

Spokane is predicted to get 6 to 10 inches, the National Weather Service said. Coeur d’Alene and the surrounding area could get 8 to 12 inches, the weather service said.

The heaviest snow is expect to fall between 4 a.m. and 8 a.m., said weather service forecaster Bryce Williams.

“It’s been over a month since there has been snow like this in the area,” Williams said. “People got accustomed to the recent spring-like feel.”

On Jan. 11, Spokane was hit with with 6.3 inches of snow, he said, and the weather has been relatively mild since.

Williams said a low pressure system dropped down from British Columbia into Western Washington and is making its way east.

Wednesday is expected to have a high of 38 degrees and a low of 20, which is also expected to make for a slick commute.

Scattered showers are expected in the afternoon.

“Plan accordingly when leaving for the commute in the morning,” Williams said. “Leave early and take it slow.”

Kootenai County Emergency Management Director Sandy Von Behren urges residents to be prepared.

“This will be an impactful storm, especially for the Wednesday morning commute, since it has been some time since low elevations have seen significant snowfall,” Von Behren said.