Flood advisory issued for north Whitman County

The National Weather Service this morning issued a flood advisory for northern Whitman County after rain and snow melt caused water levels to rise along creeks and streams. The state Department of Transportation at mid-morning reopened state Highway 27 at Pine Creek south of Tekoa after water from the creek slopped over travel lanes near a bridge between Tekoa and Oakesdale. The weather service said that the northern part of the county had received about a half inch of rain over the weekend, and that the ground was either saturated or partially frozen, limiting its ability to absorb the water. The advisory is in effect until 8:15 p.m. Tuesday. Spokane International Airport this morning reported .25 inches of precipitation for the past 48 hours.