Snow, freezing rain forecast this week
Temperatures predicted to warm up, but precipitation on its way
Heavy snow and freezing rain are in the forecast for the Palouse this week.
Temperatures are expected to warm up into the 30s this week, but more precipitation is on its way.
According to the National Weather Service, 6 to 12 inches of snow are expected in the valleys tonight through early Thursday morning. As much as 18 inches of snow could fall in the mountains. There is a 20% chance of blowing and drifting snow on the Palouse and Camas Prairie.
Pullman and Moscow are expected to receive 6-8 inches while the Lewiston area is forecast to receive 2-3 inches.
Freezing rain is a possibility Friday into Saturday as conditions warm.
The region will escape the subzero temperatures it has endured since Friday.
According to local fire chiefs, there were no medical emergencies related to the historically cold weather this past weekend in Moscow and Pullman.
It was still a busy weekend for fire crews, however, as the frigid temperatures led to pipe bursts across both cities.
Moscow Volunteer Fire Department Chief Brian Nickerson said his crew responded to around 10 pipe breaks across town. These incidents occurred in homes, apartments and businesses.
Pullman Fire Chief Mike Heston said his staff responded to 18 broken pipes, so far, as well as incidents of sprinklers being set off by the cold.
Heston said he expects more of these incidents when the weather warms over the next few days and frozen pipes begin to thaw. He advises people to keep the heat on in their homes and make sure it reaches the attics and basement.
There were several warming shelters available to those who needed to escape the below-zero temperatures.
Hamilton Indoor Recreation Center in Moscow, the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Palouse in Moscow and Neill Public Library in Pullman were among those that opened their doors to the public.
The Rev. Elizabeth Stevens of the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Palouse wrote in an email to the Daily News that no one utilized its warming shelter, which was ready to provide cots, sleeping bags, food and hot drinks.
Kuipers can be reached at akuipers@dnews.com.
