Surprise! Snow makes for slippery Tuesday-morning commute

Spokane woke up to about 3 inches of snow on Tuesday thanks to a temperature that was slightly cooler than expected overnight.

And then it began to rain. And rain.

By Tuesday evening the rain and snow broke a precipitation record for Dec. 19 of 0.88 inches that had stood since 1895, according to the National Weather Service. And rain showers continued to be heavy through the night.

As the rain fell in Spokane, heavy snow blanketed the mountains and valleys to the north and east.

Schweitzer was expected to get between 2 and 3 feet. Mount Spokane collected between 12 and 20 inches. Lookout Pass and 49 Degree North will get between 1 and 2 feet.

Through Tuesday night up to a foot of snow was falling on Sandpoint, Bonners Ferry and Priest Lake. The storm will weaken Wednesday as drier and cold conditions begin to grip the region.

Avista noted that several thousand customers lost their power at least temporarily Tuesday night.

Kootenai Electric reported that 1,300 members were without power because of heavy wet snow.

High avalanche danger in the Idaho Panhandle and Western Montana led the weather service to warn backcountry skiers and snowmobile riders of the danger.

The surprise snow in Spokane measured about 2 1/2 inches about 5:30 a.m. It happened as rain turned to snow beginning around 2 a.m. By 4 a.m. the snow was falling hard, said Matt Fugazzi, a National Weather Service meteorologist.

“We were expecting rain or a non-accumulating rain-snow mix. Turned out it was a degree colder,” Fugazzi said. “One or two degrees is the difference between rain or snow.”

Washington State Patrol Trooper Jeff Sevigney said conditions caused accidents during the early-morning commute.

Precipitation turned back to rain in much of the Spokane area between 5:30 and 7 a.m.