Storm to bring rain, wind to Spokane region Monday night into Tuesday

Tuesday will be another rainy day in Spokane, according to the National Weather Service.

The expected rain is aptly timed, with the region coming off a drier-than-normal winter and looking to planting season, said Greg Koch, meteorologist at the National Weather Service Spokane.

While it rained some Sunday night and into Monday morning, Monday afternoon was dry. Precipitation was forecast to pick up , with heavy rains expected after midnight, Koch said.

By Tuesday morning, Spokane will likely have seen about a half-inch of rain.

Areas north of Spokane, like Deer Park, Newport and Colville, could see about an inch.

“The potential for flooding in the metro is low, but as we get farther north of town the mountainous terrain of Stevens, Ponderay and Bonner and Boundary counties in North Idaho, there is a potential for rises on small streams and possibly some small rocks slides,” Koch said.

There could be some minor field flooding in areas that typically experience spring floods, he said.

Most storm systems move quickly across Eastern Washington, running their course in a matter of hours. But this storm is slow, likely taking a day and a half to move on.

“This is a pretty impressive storm system that has tapped into an abundance of moisture,” Koch said.

Along with the rain Tuesday comes wind, Koch said. Gusts as high as 45 to 50 mph are forecast, making the high temperature of 50 degrees feel much cooler.

Since the beginning of the year, both North Idaho and Eastern Washington have seen less precipitation than average.

“By and large this system is going to be beneficial for our region,” Koch said. “This is going to be a timely rain event for our farmers who are looking for increased soil moisture before they start planting.”

The rain should pass by Wednesday, when a cool morning is expected. The high that day is forecast at 48 degrees with little wind.