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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Weekend weather: Rain continues to push precipitation levels higher than normal

Umbrellas protect pedestrians from the rain, Oct. 13, 2016 at the corner of Main and Howard in Spokane, Wash. (Dan Pelle / The Spokesman-Review)

Rain is expected to keep falling across the Inland Northwest through Thursday night, but a break in storms is likely on Friday before more wet weather returns on Saturday and Sunday.

This October has been one of the wettest on record in the Inland Northwest.

In Spokane, rain accumulation on Wednesday put the city above 4 inches for the month and in third place for the most rain during October since weather records began in 1881.

The historic record for October rain is 5.41 inches in 1947.

It is not clear whether Spokane will break that record, but more rain is on the way.

The Wednesday-Thursday storm was sending subtropical moisture into the region along with milder temperatures.

As a result, snow levels went up to about 7,000 feet in elevation on Wednesday.

National Weather Service forecasters said that the rainstorm that started on Wednesday is likely to continue into Thursday with passage of a cold front.

As much as one-quarter to one-half inch of rain could fall in a swath from southeast Washington into the Idaho Panhandle on Thursday before the front slides east into Montana on Thursday evening.

In the mountains, a mix of rain or snow is possible on Thursday night in North Idaho at the highest elevations.

Forecasters said they expect a break in the wet weather on Friday before a new storm sends more moisture inland on Saturday and Sunday.

Lowland temperatures will hold fairly steady through the period with highs in the lower to middle 50s and lows in the lower 40s.

The October rain has made up for a precipitation deficit so far this year and sent Spokane’s accumulation in 2016 to 11.6 inches, which is 1.37 inches more than normal.

The region is just weeks away from seeing its first snowfall. For the past nine years, the average date of the first measurable snow has ranged from Nov. 5 to Nov. 28.

Mountain areas have seen only a few early snows high up on the slopes, including one last week that dropped 3 inches before it melted.

But folks from Mt. Spokane Ski and Snowboard Park had a chance to build the first snowman, according to postings on social media.