Rain and more travel troubles to start the week – Matt

What we’re tracking

It’s going to be a warmer and rainy start to the week, beginning early on Monday morning with yet another quick-moving storm system. Cold air is still trapped in the lowlands of Central Washington, so freezing rain is likely again from the Waterville Plateau to Yakima and down the Columbia Gorge past the Dalles. People traveling home on Monday morning after Christmas with family will find hazardous travel conditions in these areas because of the ice accumulations. An ICE STORM WARNING is in place for the lower gorge, Yakima, and around Ellensburg on I-90.

Plan your Monday

Any roads that were untreated over the weekend are going to be extremely icy. Main roads will be slushy and a lot easier to drive on. Temperatures around the metro and the Palouse will be warm enough to see regular rain after sunrise with a little bit of freezing rain possible in the early morning. Light snow is possible for Omak, Colville, Sandpoint, and Bonners Ferry. Freezing rain is possible early for Ritzville and Moses Lake. Temperatures will end up around 40 degrees in the afternoon. A rain jacket will be more useful than a sweater.

Spokane and Coeur d’Alene forecast

Heavy rain is likely on Tuesday with a strong atmospheric river moving over the region. Expect lots of melting snow, higher creeks and streams, plugged storm drains, and falling snow slabs and icicles from roofs. Temperatures will peak in the mid-40s Tuesday. Temperatures fall to the 30s for the rest of the week, with light snow possible Wednesday and Thursday. Some heavier snow is possible on Friday in North Idaho before we close out 2022.