Flood watch issued for Inland Northwest
The National Weather Service on Thursday afternoon issued a flood watch for the region as milder temperatures and heavy precipitation combine to create a series of flood threats.
High temperatures on Friday are expected to rise into the lower 50s in Spokane along with gusty southwest wind.
Temperatures in the upper 40s will continue through the weekend, but more 50-degree readings are expected next week.
The last time Spokane saw a high at 50 degrees or warmer was on Nov. 26.
Other parts of the Inland Northwest will also see milder temperatures into next week
Flooding from rain and wind caused numerous road washouts on Feb. 15 and 16. In that event, nearly 1.2 inches of rain were measured in Spokane while high temperatures reached the lower 40s both days under gusty winds.
The flood watch is in effect through Friday evening. A warm front moved into the region on Thursday and got to the Spokane area about noon. A corresponding cold front was expected to follow.
Between the two fronts, the Pacific storm was expected to bring more than a half inch of precipitation through Friday.
Forecasters said that lower mountain snowpacks were likely to melt and start running off.
Valley snow in colder valleys to the north and east of Spokane and Coeur d’Alene was also likely to be melting down.
Mudslides and landslides are considered threats near the mountains. Ponding water and rising stream flows are risks at lower elevations.
“Localized flooding is possible in areas where storm drains and ditches are full of snow, ice, or standing water,” the weather service said in its flood watch.
Paradise Creek through Moscow was under a separate flood watch.
The weather service also said that the flood risks will continue through the weekend.
A winter weather advisory was in effect Thursday for Bonner and Boundary counties in North Idaho through 6 a.m. on Friday for 2 to 5 inches of snow in valleys and higher amounts in the mountains.
Snow levels were expected to rise to between 4,000 and 5,000 feet in elevation and in some areas up to 6,000 feet.
In the Cascades, U.S. 2 over Stevens Pass was closed as avalanche danger continued to increase under heavy falling snow.
The Washington state Department of Transportation said on its website the road was closed in both directions Thursday afternoon with traffic stopped at milepost 58 at Scenic and at milepost 64 at Stevens Pass summit.
Just before 9:30 p.m. officials said there was no estimated time for reopening.
Interstate 90 over Snoqualmie Pass reopened Thursday afternoon after crews finished avalanche control work.
The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory for the Cascade Mountains through Friday afternoon with 4 to 12 inches of snow possible.
The Northwest Avalanche Center issued an avalanche warning through 6 p.m. Friday for the Olympic Mountains and east and west slopes of the Washington Cascades.