Weekend weather: Rain expected to start today

A new round of rain and showers is due over the Inland Northwest starting today and extending until Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.

The wettest day of the period should be today. Spokane has about a 60 percent chance of rain.

Rain chances are even higher in North Idaho. Sandpoint could see between a tenth and a quarter inch of rain today.

The storm is expected to draw Pacific moisture from the Oregon coast and push it across southeast Washington into the Idaho Panhandle and extreme Eastern Washington, forecasters said.

A broad upper low sagging southward across the Pacific Northwest is expected to bring a continued threat of showers through Saturday. Sunday should be the driest and sunniest day of the period.

Highs in Spokane should run from the upper 60s today to the middle 70s on Sunday with lows in the lower 50s.

North Idaho should see highs mainly in the middle and upper 60s and lows in the lower 50s.

Skies should clear on Saturday and Sunday when partly to mostly sunny skies return to the forecast for Spokane and North Idaho.

However, shower chances linger in areas near the mountains of northeast Washington and North Idaho.

The Columbia Basin will generally be warmer and drier.

At higher elevations in the mountains, temperatures should be mild with highs in the upper 50s to near 60 and lows in the 40s. Thunderstorms are a risk on Friday night and Saturday in the far northern mountains.