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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
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Weekend weather: Drying weather arrives with the start of the new month

Spokane’s skyline glows under a cloudy sky and above the Spokane River, as seen from the Kendall Yards development, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2014. Once again The Spokesman-Review is asking the community to nominate difference makers, people who, through words and deeds, represent the best of the Inland Northwest. (Jesse Tinsley / The Spokesman-Review)
By Mike Prager mikeprager15@gmail.com(509) 459-5454

While Spokane recorded its wettest month in October, the early November forecast is calling for drier conditions.

Spokane International Airport accumulated 6.23 inches of rain during October, making it the wettest month in area history since records began in 1881, topping the previous precipitation record of 5.85 inches in November of 1897.

The Lilac City was among 21 locations across the region to set rainfall records in October.

But now forecasters see a trend toward drier conditions through early next week.

Periods of light rains are possible, but no big downpours.

The upcoming weekend starts with partly sunny skies on Thursday with increasing amounts of sunshine through Saturday, making it an ideal time for outdoor recreation or yard cleanup.

A weak ridge of higher air pressure moved into the region on Wednesday and was expected to linger.

High temperatures should be in the middle 50s with lows near 40, which are above normal.

The cooler temperatures at night may allow fog to form in some valleys or open areas during overnight and early hours, National Weather Service forecasters said.

A new Pacific storm system is forecast to bring rain for Sunday, but the storm is seen as weakening because of the higher air pressure ahead of it.

Partly sunny to mostly sunny skies return for Monday and Tuesday with continued mild daytime highs.

The average high in Spokane for this time of year is near 49 degrees with an average low of 33 degrees.

Priest River led the list of locations setting rainfall records with a total of 10.64 inches, two inches more than its previous record of 8.31 inches in 1947.

Elsewhere, St. Maries had 9.19 inches; Kellogg, 8.79 inches; Boundary Dam, 8.76 inches; and Bonners Ferry, 7.99 inches.

Normally dry locales were wet as well, including Ritzville at 4.86 inches; Grand Coulee Dam at 3.98 inches; Ephrata, 2.52 inches; and Priest Rapids Dam, 2.52 inches.

In the Palouse, monthly rainfall records ranged from 5.69 inches in Pullman to 6.17 inches in Moscow.