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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Spokane shatters yet another temperature record as Sunday reaches 56 degrees

Spokane and Pullman both saw record warm temperatures on Sunday, Nov. 28, 2021, according to the National Weather Service.   (National Weather Service Spokane)

Spokane’s abnormally warm year continued Sunday when the airport reported temperatures of 56 degrees, setting an unofficial new record high for Nov. 28 that has not been touched since 1883.

The average high temperature for Nov. 28 is in the upper 30s, said Joey Clevenger, meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Spokane office.

At 1:53 p.m. Sunday the Spokane International Airport got to 56 degrees, Clevenger said, though those temperatures are not official until midnight.The last time it was that warm on record was Nov. 28, 1883, Clevenger said.

November has seen more precipitation than an average year, though; usually Spokane during this month sees 2.06 inches of precipitation, but as of Sunday the region had reported 2.6 inches.

Clevenger said the weather event La Niña, defined in the Northwest by cooler than average sea surface temperatures, has brought more moisture into the area.

“But we’re still playing catch-up,” Clevenger said, referring to the state’s exceptional drought over the summer. “Right now we’re still close to 5 inches below normal our typical year.”

The record-shattering temperature caused closure of Schweitzer Mountain Resort beginning Monday through Friday this week, the ski facility said on its Facebook page Sunday.

“Without freezing temperatures, it is impossible to make new snow, move snow around and recover. Looks like the temps will start cooling down Friday, so hopefully we can fire up the snowguns (sic) again at that point and continue with snowmaking. Keep up those snow dances!” Schweitzer wrote in its post.

Riverfront Park’s Numerica Ice Ribbon also closed for Sunday “due to weather conditions,” according to the park’s Twitter.

Fianna Dickson, communications manager for the Parks Department, said Sunday the combination of warmer temperatures and wind caused some of the ice to thaw. The department will re-evaluate opening Monday morning.

September through October of this year saw more average temperatures for Spokane, Clevenger said. And until Sunday, November’s temperatures were also closer to normal.

The record low for Nov. 28 was minus-13, which was set in 1896, Clevenger said. As of 4 p.m., the low temperature recorded Sunday was 49 degrees.