Weekend weather: Two more rainy days ahead

Two Pacific storm systems with subtropical moisture are going to dampen the Inland Northwest through Friday before cooler temperatures return on the weekend.

Gusty south winds are likely during the Thursday storm.

Snow levels could rise to 6,000 feet in elevation, allowing for rain on most mountain slopes on Thursday before coming back down on Friday.

There is so much snow at ski areas now that one day with rain and thawing temperatures should have minimal impact on mountain activities this weekend.

Mountain snow on Friday will be followed by periodic snow showers through the weekend and beyond at upper elevations.

In lower elevations, the rainstorm on Thursday could bring a high in the middle 40s to Spokane and Coeur d’Alene.

A quarter to a half inch of rain is possible in both cities on Thursday, with more on Friday.

Rain is expected across the entire region, with a possibility of freezing rain along the eastern slopes and valleys of the northern Cascades.

A low pressure system that is bringing the precipitation through Friday should drift southward into California over the weekend and give that state more needed moisture.

As the low migrates, it will draw cooler air into the Inland Northwest.

Both lower and upper elevations will see chances of snow showers on Saturday through Tuesday.

Highs are likely to be near 40 on Saturday in Spokane and 37 in Coeur d’Alene, before cooling to the middle 30s on Sunday through Tuesday in both cities.

Lows are likely to hit the middle 20s by Sunday night across the region.

Snow accumulation in the mountains of Northeast Washington and North Idaho ranged from 90 to 97 percent of normal as of Monday, based on the water equivalent within the snowpack.

The best snowpacks in the state are found in the Okanogan region, and Ferry and Stevens counties, at 134 percent.