Warm, sunny weather to close out October in the Inland Northwest

Forecasters predict a treat with this week’s pre-Halloween weather.

Mostly sunny skies are anticipated through Monday, with temperatures seasonably warm and reaching the lower 60s during the afternoon. Overnight lows are expected to hover just above the freezing mark around Spokane.

The best chance for rain is Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service, but precipitation will likely be limited to areas of northern Idaho and the mountains. Winds will remain calm all week after gusting above 40 miles per hour on Sunday, shaking a lot of the fall foliage around town into the streets.

Spokane’s leaf cleanup service will likely begin next month, according to the streets department. The operation usually takes four to six weeks after a majority of the leaves have fallen. Last year, leaf pick-up began the week of Thanksgiving.

If no rain falls before Halloween, Spokane will close out October with less than two inches of rain for the month. Last year, 6.23 inches of rain fell at Spokane International Airport in October, setting the record for the wettest month on record in the city.

The city is still well ahead of its expected rainfall totals for the year, despite a historic dry stretch that ended in September. A total of 16.58 inches of rain has fallen in Spokane this year, about 5 inches more than the average dating back to 1981.

Sunny skies and above-average temperatures also means trick-or-treaters will avoid scooping up candy in the snow. Trace amounts of snowfall were recorded at Spokane International Airport on Oct. 12 and 13, but nothing measurable has yet to fall in the city. Last year’s first measurable snowfall in Spokane came on Nov. 16, en route to a snow season that saw more than five feet of precipitation for the first time since 2011.