Snow in Panhandle's forecast

SANDPOINT — Winter is coming.

The National Weather Service said several rounds of mountain snow are expected this week, this weekend and early next week. Accumulations could be particularly heavy in the mountains on Friday and Saturday with the arrival of a potentially strong storm, NWS said in a hazardous weather outlook issued on Thursday.

Light snow accumulations are expected tonight into the early

Friday morning hours. Motorists in northern Idaho and northeast

Washington can expect winter driving conditions by early Friday morning and create a slippery morning commute, the weather service said.

A winter storm warning stated that a wet storm system could bring 5-10 inches in the valleys and 10-18 inches in the mountains around Sandpoint, Priest River and Bonners Ferry.

"Travel could be very difficult to impossible," the weather service said in the storm warning.

The weather service is advising travelers to keep an extra flashlight, food and water in their vehicles in case of emergency.

In Sandpoint, NWS expected the snow to fall heavily after 10 p.m. on Thursday, resulting in accumulations of 3-5 inches. Today, snow is expected before 1 p.m. and is forecasted to become a rain/snow mix between 1-4 p.m. The snowfall could be heavy at times and the snow level is anticipated to rise to 2,700 feet in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent and new snow accumulations of 3-5 inches are possible, according to NWS.

Light accumulations are expected over the weekend and into next week, the weather service said.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com or followed on Twitter @KeithDailyBee