Weekend weather: More snow and rain likely through weekend

What looks like the last of the winter storms for a while will cross the Inland Northwest this weekend, bringing both snow and rain.

A new weather system from the Pacific Ocean is going to push up against arctic air east of the Cascades as early as Friday.

As the storm pulls into the region, it is expected to bring southwesterly winds to scour out the cold and set the stage for a return to more normal temperatures.

One more day of sunny, cold conditions is expected on Thursday with a high in the lower 30s and a low near 16 in Spokane.

The change begins with light snow on Friday and a high of 33.

Snow should continue on Friday night and early Saturday and could be moderate at times with a low in the middle 20s. A total of 2 inches of snow or less is possible.

By mid-morning on Saturday, the snow is expected to switch over to rain as winds aloft remove remaining arctic cold. A high in the middle 30s is forecast for Saturday.

Rain in the lowlands and snow in the mountains are likely on Sunday with a high approaching 40.

A cold front early next week will cool high temperatures back to the freezing mark before milder air enters the region by the end of next week, forecasters said.

Normal temperatures for this time of year are 37 for a high and 26 for a low.

The darkest period of the year comes to an end during the first week of February.

Daylight is now 73 minutes longer each day than it was at the winter solstice in December.

Sunrise on Wednesday was at 7:36 a.m. Sunset was at 4:53 p.m.

Spokane has seen above-normal precipitation this season with 11.4 inches of rain or frozen equivalent falling since Oct. 1.

The 32.5 inches of snow measured at Spokane International Airport this year is 6.5 inches above normal through early this week.

In the mountains, 49 Degrees North ski area near Chewelah reported 89 inches of snow at the summit and 64 inches at the lodge. Lookout Pass, the snow leader this season, had 10 feet of snow on top.