Spokane, WA – A calm, cold morning greets the Inland Northwest today, the kind where the air feels crisp and the streets still glisten from frost. The clear skies won’t last all week — a dramatic pattern shift looms just beyond Veterans Day, with the region preparing for its first significant rain-to-snow transition of the season.
Today stays quiet, with clouds building gradually and highs near 53°F. Veterans Day on Tuesday looks bright and mild, ideal for outdoor observances and travel across eastern Washington and northern Idaho. Winds remain light, and temperatures will rise to the upper 40s and low 50s — pleasant for November standards.
The calm breaks by Wednesday afternoon, when moisture from a Pacific system reaches Spokane. Expect rain by evening, turning steadier Wednesday night. By Thursday morning, cooler air filters in behind the front. Snow levels start near 6,000 feet but may drop to around 3,700 feet overnight, flirting with valley floors and higher-elevation passes.
Thursday and Friday bring more scattered showers, with highs dipping to the low 40s and lows near freezing. Mountain travel along U.S. 2, I-90 east of Liberty Lake, and Lookout Pass could turn slick late in the week.
While no major accumulation is expected in Spokane proper yet, this system marks a clear early sign of winter — and a reminder to prep vehicles and travel plans before Thanksgiving’s first Arctic fronts roll in.
