Heavy rain is expected in the early hours for Spokane County, and the Inland Northwest. A Flash Flood Watch has been called by NOAA for the burn scar areas around Spokane from 2 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
From the National Weather Service –
Moderate to heavy rainfall over the burn scar is expected to develop Sunday morning. Rainfall rates of 0.20 to 0.30 inches per hour will be possible Sunday morning then decreasing to 0.10 inches per hour Sunday afternoon. Rainfall amounts could exceed 0.50 inch by midday Sunday. Residents near the burn scar should prepare for potential debris flow moving through the Old Trails and Autumn Lane. Be sure to stay up to date with information from local authorities. Heavy rainfall could trigger flash flooding of low-lying areas, urbanized street flooding, and debris flows in and near recent wildfire burn scars. Storm drains and ditches may become clogged with debris.
The heaviest of the rain should fall between 2 a.m. and 10 a.m. Sunday morning. The Spokane area is expecting around half an inch of rain.
The reason burn scars are susceptible to floods is the fires destroyed protective vegetation, and it turns the topsoil into a waterproof shield.
COPYRIGHT 2026 BY KXLY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.