A STRONG WINTER STORM IS SET TO DROP INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST FRIDAY AND SATURDAY BRINGING THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME OF THE SNOWIEST AND COLDEST WEATHER OF THE WINTER THUS FAR.
SNOW WILL DEVELOP FROM THE CANADIAN BORDER SOUTHWARD DURING THE MORNING HOURS FRIDAY. A BAND OF HEAVY SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE LATE FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY WITH THE FIRST PHASE OF THIS WINTER STORM.
THERE IS STILL SOME UNCERTAINTY ON WHERE THE BAND OF HEAVIEST SNOW WILL OCCUR... BUT THERE IS A STRONG POTENTIAL THAT THE MOUNTAINS OF THE NORTHERN IDAHO PANHANDLE... THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTHEAST WASHINGTON... AND ALONG THE CREST OF THE CASCADES COULD ACCUMULATE 18 TO 30 INCHES OF SNOW BETWEEN FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.
ADDITIONALLY... DEPENDING ON WHERE THE BAND OF HEAVIEST SNOW SETS UP... THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR HEAVY SNOWFALL ACCUMULATION IN THE VALLEYS OF EASTERN WASHINGTON AND NORTH IDAHO INCLUDING SPOKANE... COEUR D`ALENE... SANDPOINT... COLVILLE... AND REPUBLIC.
UNDER THE HEAVY HEAVY BAND OF SNOW... THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A FOOT OF SNOW IN THE VALLEYS. SNOWFALL RATES COULD APPROACH 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR UNDER THE BAND... AND TRAVEL IS LIKELY TO BECOME DANGEROUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.
THE SECOND PHASE OF THIS STORM WILL BE THE POTENTIAL FOR STRONG NORTHEAST WINDS SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY. THE ARRIVAL OF A STRONG ARCTIC COLD FRONT WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW... ESPECIALLY IN THE VALLEYS OF NORTHERN IDAHO AND NORTHEAST WASHINGTON. TRAVEL ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY COULD BECOME DANGEROUS... AND WIND CHILL VALUES COULD BE 10 TO 20 DEGREES BELOW ZERO.
THE THIRD PHASE OF THIS STORM WILL BE THE ARRIVAL OF A VERY COLD ARCTIC AIRMASS. COMPUTER MODELS SUGGEST THAT TEMPERATURES EARLY NEXT WEEK COULD BE THE COLDEST THE INLAND NORTHWEST HAS EXPERIENCED SINCE JANUARY 2004. LOW TEMPERATURES ON MONDAY... TUESDAY... AND WEDNESDAY COULD BE WELL BELOW ZERO IN NORTHEAST WASHINGTON AND IN NORTH IDAHO.
