Washington, 2026Flash Flood and Heavy Rain in Washington, April 12, 2026
April 12, 2026 · NWS OTX · 3 events in 1 county or zone
Area had slow moving thunderstorms producing a radar estimated one to two inches of rain. Soil was already saturated from melting snow.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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Open the live radar over this ground
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $12,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 3
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
Area had slow moving thunderstorms producing a radar estimated one to two inches of rain. Soil was already saturated from melting snow. Rain gauges in the area recorded 0.3 to 0.7 inches of rain. The gauges were not in the area impacted.
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Spokane, WA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 12, 3:00 PM PST, 0 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
- Showers and afternoon thunderstorms Sunday.
- Light to moderate rains Sunday evening into Monday morning for North Idaho and southeastern Washington.
- A robust cold front to deliver valley rain, mountain snow, and gusty winds Tuesday into Wednesday.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 12, 3:00 PM PST, 0 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Spokane WA
400 PM PDT Sun Apr 12 2026
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Showers and afternoon thunderstorms Sunday.
- Light to moderate rains Sunday evening into Monday morning for
North Idaho and southeastern Washington.
- A robust cold front to deliver valley rain, mountain snow,
and gusty winds Tuesday into Wednesday.
&&
.SYNOPSIS...
Chances for showers and afternoon thunderstorms continue through
Sunday. Areas of moderate rain will develop Sunday night and
continue into Monday for the Idaho Panhandle and southeastern
WA. A cold front passage Tuesday afternoon into Wednesday will
bring additional light rain in the lowlands, mountain snow, and
breezy to windy conditions.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Today through Monday: The northern reaches of a strong mid-level
wave are beginning to arrive in Southeast Washington and the
Central Panhandle Mountains this afternoon. This wave is
creating enough forcing to trigger convective pop-up showers
across the eastern third of Washington and North Idaho with
potential for thunderstorms lasting into the evening. We have
already seen a few strikes with storms in the far southeastern
corner of the region (Nez Perce and Lewis Counties).
More steady rain will move in tonight across Southeast
Washington, the Central and Northern Idaho Panhandle, and along
the Washington/Idaho border. The highest totals are favored on
the Palouse into the LC Valley and Camas Prairie. The rain will
lead to rises on small streams, but no flooding is currently
expected. Snow levels will remain high, staying around
6000-7000 feet today and lowering to 5000-6000 feet by Monday
morning. This will keep snow above the mountain passes and
confined to the higher peaks for now. By Monday afternoon, what
is left of the deformation band weakens and shifts east with
mainly mountain showers expected.
Tuesday through Thursday: A deep low pressure system will send
a robust cold front through the Inland NW. Strong westerly flow
will lead to a rain shadow across Central WA with only light
precip amounts (if any), while the Cascades and ID Panhandle
will see a burst of precipitation with a cold front passage.
Snow levels with this system start out between 3000-4500 feet
(lowest snow levels in the Cascades) on Tuesday, dropping to
1000-3000 feet behind the front on Wednesday. This system will
bring late season snow to the mountains.
Stevens Pass has a 70% chance of seeing more than 8 inches of
snow and a 40% chance of more than 12 inches of snow from 5 PM
Monday to 5 PM Wednesday.
Lookout Pass has an 80% chance of more than 4 inches and a 40%
chance of more than 8 inches from 5 PM Tuesday to 5 PM
Thursday.
In addition to mountain snow, this system will also bring gusty
winds, with wind gusts of 30-45 MPH across the region Tuesday
and Wednesday. Colder air behind the front will drop
temperatures, with widespread freezing temperatures expected
Wednesday night and Thursday night. Lows will be in the 20s to
low 30s.
Friday and Saturday: Dry conditions and clear skies are forecast
as the low exits the region and a weak shortwave ridge moves
in. Temperatures will warm closer to seasonal normals. /Fewkes
&&
.AVIATION...
00Z TAFS: Widely scattered showers and thunderstorms will
continue into the evening across the eastern third of WA and
North ID. KPUW and KLWS have the highest chance of being
impacted by these storms, but KGEG- KSFF- KCOE may be impacted
as well (20 percent chance). Later tonight, KLWS- KPUW should
expect steady rains and lowering CIGS with areas of MVFR
conditions. Rains will spread into KGEG-KSFF-KCOE late Monday
morning.
FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND/OR ALTERNATE SCENARIOS:
There is a 15-30 percent chance of thunderstorms mainly south of
Spokane/Coeur d'Alene Sunday evening including KPUW/KLWS. As
steady rains arrive, ceilings will lower to MVFR.
-----------------------
Confidence descriptors:
Low - Less than a 30 percent chance
Moderate - 30 to 70 percent chance
High - Greater than a 70 percent chance
For additional probabilistic information for NWS Spokane
airports,please refer to the Aviation Dashboard on our
webpage: https:/www.weather.gov/otx/avndashboard
&&
.Preliminary Point Temps/PoPs...
Spokane 43 61 37 51 37 48 / 40 50 10 30 90 70
Coeur d'Alene 44 56 38 50 38 47 / 50 70 20 40 100 80
Pullman 42 54 35 51 38 45 / 90 70 10 20 90 90
Lewiston 47 59 39 59 44 51 / 90 70 0 0 90 90
Colville 39 66 36 53 33 51 / 30 60 10 60 90 60
Sandpoint 43 54 36 44 34 44 / 30 90 40 70 100 90
Kellogg 44 50 37 47 37 43 / 70 90 30 60 100 90
Moses Lake 44 66 38 58 37 54 / 20 10 0 10 30 30
Wenatchee 47 61 42 56 37 52 / 10 0 0 20 40 20
Omak 43 63 38 50 31 52 / 10 0 0 30 50 30
&&
.OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WA...None.
ID...None.
&&
Flash Flood, Whitman
- When
- April 12, 3:00 PM PST to 7:00 PM PST
- Where
- Whitman County, 1.67 mi NW of Manning to 1.64 mi NW of Manning
- Cause
- Heavy Rain
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Reported by
- Law Enforcement
- Coordinates
- 46.950, -117.400
Large road washout on Green Hollow Road at MP5, with large boulders in road and mud flowing across road.
Heavy Rain, Whitman
- When
- April 12, 3:00 PM PST to 7:00 PM PST
- Where
- Whitman County, 2.13 mi NNW of Kitsmiller to 3.25 mi N of Kitsmiller
- Property damage
- $1,000
- Reported by
- County Official
- Coordinates
- 46.800, -117.180
Heavy rain led to mud and water over Banner Road and Palouse Albion Road.
Heavy Rain, Whitman
- When
- April 12, 3:00 PM PST to 7:00 PM PST
- Where
- Whitman County, 4.17 mi S of Whitman Co Meml Arpt
- Property damage
- $1,000
- Reported by
- Law Enforcement
- Coordinates
- 46.790, -117.390
Heavy rain led to road washout, mud and rocks on Upper Union Flat Road.
- Flash Flood
- Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
- Heavy Rain
- Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Flooding in Michigan, April 12 to 27, 2026$2.4 million · 6 events
- Flash Flood and Debris Flows in Puerto Rico, April 12 to 15, 2026$17,000 · 0.25 in hail · 13 events
- Damaging Winds in Idaho, April 12, 2026$2,000 · 58 kt wind · 18 events
- Rip Current in Florida, April 12, 20261 injured · 1 event
- High Wind in Nevada, April 12, 202659 kt wind · 3 events
- Flash Flooding and Damaging Wind in Texas, April 12, 2026$10,000 · 52 kt wind · 3 events
- Wildfire in Florida, April 12 to 30, 20262 events
- Wildfire in Texas, April 12 to 15, 20262 events
- Heavy Snow in Alaska, April 12 to 13, 20262 events
- Hail in Texas, April 12, 20261 in hail · 1 event
- Damaging Wind in Texas, April 12, 202651 kt wind · 1 event
- Hail in Minnesota, April 12, 20261 in hail · 1 event
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1333637, 1333638, 1333639.