More hot weather through Saturday

The mercury is going to max out today and Saturday as a high pressure system brings temperatures in the middle to upper 90s across the Spokane and Coeur d’Alene areas. Highs today of 95 in Spokane, 94 in Spokane Valley, 95 in Post Falls and 93 in Coeur d’Alene will be followed by even warmer temperatures on Saturday when highs will run from 96 to 98 across the region. Forecasters said temperatures should moderate on Sunday with the passage of a dry cold front off the Pacific Ocean late Saturday and early Sunday. Wind gusts to 21 mph are possible on Sunday. Highs on Sunday should be in the upper 80s. More summer-like conditions are expected next week with highs in the lower 90s. With humidity dropping during daytime hours to desert-like conditions, forecasters said the fire danger is likely to increase, especially during windy periods. Already, the weather service has posted a red flag warning for fire danger for portions of the Cascades where a heat-induced low pressure area in the lower atmosphere is expected to cause breezy conditions today. The National Weather Service also issued a heat advisory for the lower Columbia Basin, including Tri-Cities, Walla Walla and Connell, for temperatures near 100 degrees today and Saturday. At 7 a.m., temperatures were in the upper 50s and 60s with 66 at Spokane International Airport, 61 in Coeur d’Alene, 65 in Pullman, 62 in Deer Park and 57 at Sandpoint.