Spring weather seen – after today

One more round of cold, snowy weather – call it a hangover from this year’s record snowfall – is due over the region this morning, but forecasters are promising a trend toward spring in time for the weekend.

The National Weather Service on Wednesday issued a winter weather advisory for much of the Inland Northwest with 1 to 3 inches of snow possible in lower-elevation locations through 11 a.m. Forecasters warned that snow could fall during this morning’s commute, causing slippery conditions and reduced visibility.

Snow levels were expected to drop to 2,000 feet, which is at the top of the North Hill, the lower South Hill and just east of Argonne Road in the Spokane area. Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls are at about 2,200 feet. The snow is expected to taper off by tonight with no accumulation expected below 3,100 feet.

Starting Friday, forecasters are calling for a warming and drying trend with temperatures near normal.

The normal temperatures for Spokane Wednesday were 53 for a high and 33 for a low. The record high for Wednesday was 73 set in 1881, the same year weather record keeping began.

The weather service reported that .2 inches of snow was measured at the Spokane airport on Tuesday, bringing the season’s record snowfall total to 93.8 inches.

The record was set early Monday, breaking the old record of 93.5 inches set in 1949-1950.