Snow causes traffic to slow to a crawl across Spokane area

Evening commuter traffic slowed to a crawl on Interstate 90 and other busy arterials as the latest snowstorm arrived over the Inland Northwest.

Light snow began falling in downtown Spokane about 3 p.m. and quickly made roadways treacherous.

The Cheney School District has already announced that schools will start two hours later than normal on Friday.

Nineteen collisions were reported in the Spokane region in the hour before 5 p.m. Washington State Patrol said I-90 west of downtown had a number of accidents.

A three-vehicle accident was reported on U.S. Highway 195 near Spangle.

U.S. Highway 395 had an accident near Deer Park.

Many Spokane Transit Authority buses were running behind schedule by 15 to 20 minutes or more.

National Weather Service forecasters issued a winter weather advisory for the Spokane and Coeur d’Alene areas for 2 to 4 inches of snow through early morning on Friday when the snow should change to a winter mix with sleet, freezing rain and rain.

Snow was expected to turn to rain on Friday morning, but snow could return later in the day.

The next snow storm is due on Sunday after 10 a.m. and continuing into the evening. Then another shot of snow is due on Monday with snow showers expected after that through Christmas.