Winter storm watch in effect for Monday night

A winter storm watch is in effect for much of the Inland Northwest from a storm system expected to arrive about 9 to 10 p.m. on Monday.

National Weather Service forecasters said the storm should combine snow and rain, and exact snowfall amounts are not precisely known in advance.

The current computer model used by the weather service shows that Spokane could receive up to two inches of snow by dawn on Tuesday.

If the snow sticks to roadways overnight, it would mean a slippery commute for Tuesday morning.

Temperatures throughout Monday night are expected to be in the low to middle 30s.

Snowfall amounts are expected to be lower to the south and west of Spokane and higher in North Idaho.

As the storm system exits the region to the southeast, it is expected to set up a pressure gradient that will draw cold northeast winds into the region from Canada.

Temperatures Tuesday night could fall to the lower 20s with northeast winds gusting to as high as 28 mph onWednesday morning.

The winds should diminish some on Wednesday night, but still bring gusts of about 21 mph to Spokane. Lows may fall into the teens in Spokane through the weekend.

In North Idaho, the storm could bring more snow and stronger winds. Coeur d’Alene is expected to get from 2 to 4 inches of snow with northeast wind gusts of about 31 mph in the Lake City on Tuesday night, increasing to 39 mph during the day on Wednesday.

The cold weather continues through Thanksgiving and into the weekend with lows mainly in the teens and highs in the upper 20s to lower 30s.

Sunshine should prevail starting Wednesday and extending through Sunday.