Thunderstorm risk increasing

Warmer temperatures and an increasing chance of thunderstorms are forecast for the next two days as the Inland Northwest undergoes a change from the relatively dry weather pattern earlier this week. Highs of 85 in Spokane and 83 in Coeur d’Alene are expected today. The early part of the day will be mostly sunny, but as the heat builds at midday, there is an increasing chance of clouds and showers, forecasters said. A relatively dry northerly flow is moving eastward today and should be replaced tonight by a more humid southerly flow rotating off a low in Oregon this morning. That low pressure area will cause the risk of thunderstorms to go from 20 percent today to 30 percent tonight and to 50 percent on Saturday and Sunday. Clouds are expected both weekend days, forecasters said. Highs on Saturday should be about the same as today, but then drop back to about 79 degrees on Sunday in both Spokane and Coeur d’Alene. The chance of showers continues at about 20 percent on Monday, but the weather will remain warm in the upper 70s to low 80s next week with the chance of clouds and showers continuing. Temperatures at 7 a.m. were 55 in Spokane, 54 in Sandpoint, 61 in Coeur d’Alene, 58 in Pullman and 53 in Cheney.