Weather to cool significantly as Spokane sees steady rain this weekend

With rain on the way this weekend, Spokane is looking at a cooldown.

The past several weeks have seen temperatures top out in the 80s or 90s. Beginning Saturday, the temperature should fall to a high of 58 degrees .

“We’re looking at a steady, light rain in Spokane,” National Weather Service meteorologist Daniel Butler said. “It’s looking like Saturday might only get as warm as 60 degrees, which is well below average.”

While rain might begin Friday, Spokane has the highest likelihood for it on Saturday afternoon, when there is a 40% chance for a quarter inch of rain or more.

That light rain is expected to continue through Sunday evening.

There is a small chance of an “isolated thunder strike or two” in Spokane, Butler said.

But the chance of thunderstorms rises to between 15% and 20% in nearby mountainous areas and in the Idaho Panhandle.

Outdoor enthusiasts could also expect light snow above 5,000 feet in the Cascades.

Glacier National Park in northern Montana is also warning visitors to expect a temporary closure of the alpine sections of Going-to-the-Sun Road.

“From Saturday afternoon through Sunday, higher elevations of Glacier National Park, such as Going-to-the-Sun Road and Logan Pass could see heavy wet snow accumulation of up to a foot for elevations above 6,000 feet and up to 4 inches for elevations down to 4,000 feet,” a Wednesday news release from the park said.

Should the weather cause hazardous road conditions, Going-to-the-Sun Road will be closed between Avalanche and Rising Sun.