Heavy rain expected this week

COEUR d’ALENE — The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for this afternoon through Thursday, when more than an inch of rain is expected in North Idaho.

"We are going to get some rain,” meteorologist Randy Mann said Tuesday afternoon. “We could see an inch to an inch and a half.”

Mann said that has prompted the National Weather Service to issue flood advisories and warnings.

“Snow levels are going to rise to four or five thousand feet,” Mann said, adding that will contribute to the already considerable amount of rain, and likely result in flooding around the region.

“I think we might see it in places like Cataldo,” he said. “But mostly we will see street flooding and basements flooding."

Mann said the rain storms will also bring some gusty winds that could reach speeds of 30 mph.

He said the rain is expected to start falling this afternoon and last throughout the day on Thursday. The rain will lighten up on Friday, but after that North Idaho can expect to see back-to-back storms over the course of next week.

“About the first week of April is when things should start drying out again,” he said.

Mann said the rain will be heavier to the south of Coeur d’Alene, but Kootenai County will get its fair share.

Tamie Eberhard, preparedness coordinator at the Kootenai County Office of Emergency Management, said her office is more concerned about mud and rock slides because of all of the rain that has fallen in the past couple of months.

“I am not really expecting a lot of flooding,” she said. “Because we have had so much water lately, I think there is a higher chance of mud and rock slides — especially in areas where wildfires burn all of the vegetation."