Eastern Washington to receive some 'much needed' snow and rain this week

Wind, cold, rain and possibly snowflakes are expected to pass through the Spokane area in the next few days.

Rain showers in the region began Tuesday afternoon, National Weather Service meteorologist Antoinette Serrato said, and are expected to continue through a gusty Wednesday until late at night.

Going into Thursday, early hours could see a wintry mix of rain and snow, though ground temperatures should prevent any accumulation. The probability of seeing any snowfall is looking less likely as the time approaches, though, Serrato said. To the west, Moses Lake and Ritzville have a freeze warning for Thursday morning.

If snow accumulates anywhere in the lower-altitude parts of the region, Serrato said it would likely be on the Palouse, though even this would melt quickly. Seeing ephemeral bouts of snow in April is pretty common in Eastern Washington, she said.

Mountains in the region may have an opportunity to build up this year's meager snowpack, though, with snow likely to stick at elevations above 3,500 feet.

Serrato said there is a 25% to 75% probability that there will be 11 to 13 inches of snow accumulation on Stevens Pass, 9 to 14 inches on Lookout Pass, 4 to 5 inches on Sherman Pass and 12 to 14 inches on Snoqualmie Pass. She doesn't think it will be a game-changer for the snowpack levels, but said precipitation is "much needed" in the area and "anything helps."

As of Tuesday afternoon, there looked to be another round of cold precipitation moving through Spokane from Sunday to Monday of next week, Serrato said. However, if there is any snow, it will likely stay too high up for most folks to notice.

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This story was originally published April 14, 2026 at 11:44 PM.