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Arctic cold, some snow in forecast ahead of Christmas in Spokane

Snow overnight Monday will give way to frigid temperatures that could drop below zero by Wednesday morning, forecasters said.  (National Weather Service Spokane)
By Kip Hill kiph@spokesman.com(509) 459-5429

Bitter cold will usher into the Inland Northwest this week, with the possibility for the first subzero temperatures in Spokane in the past three years.

Wednesday morning will be the coldest day of a week that will see daytime highs in the single digits, said Joey Clevenger, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Spokane.

“It’s kind of a tricky forecast, because it just depends on the sky cover,” Clevenger said. Clear skies during the day will allow for sunlight to warm the air, but at night any heat of the day can escape, plunging temperatures below zero.

Spokane has not reached negative temperatures since March 1, 2019, when Spokane International Airport reached minus 1 degree. Temperatures Wednesday could reach as low as 4 degrees below zero, according to forecasters.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend preparedness when temperatures dip to dangerous levels. Pack your car with extra clothes and blankets, and make sure you have a shovel and windshield scraper handy. At home, ensure pets are inside during the coldest parts of the day.

A winter weather advisory is in place for the Spokane and Coeur d’Alene areas overnight Sunday into Monday, with the potential for up to 2 inches of snowfall by Monday morning in areas of the Inland Northwest.

Snow is also in the forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday, but it’s likely to be light and fluffy.

“Tonight might actually be our heavier snowfall, with a lighter push coming Tuesday or Wednesday,” Clevenger said Sunday afternoon.

The frigid temperatures mean the snow that has stuck around for over a month is likely to stay put until after Christmas. Sunday marked the 42nd consecutive day there was snow on the ground at the Spokane airport.

The record for the longest period of time snow was measured on the ground in Spokane was 117 days, a period that began Nov. 9, 2000, and ended March 5, 2001. The snow was a foot deep at the airport on Saturday, the most recent day for which a measurement was available.

Temperatures should warm after reaching their lowest point Wednesday, Clevenger said. Spokane’s forecast high for Christmas Day is 34 with a 20% chance of precipitation.