Rain showers to continue through Sunday

Rain showers and clouds today are just a taste of more cloudy wet weather expected through the weekend as summer officially arrives Saturday night. Afternoon temperatures in the upper 50s and lower 60s were well shy of the predicted highs in the lower to middle 70s. Showers are expected to continue on and off through today with thunderstorms possible. The risk of showers was pegged at 30 percent tonight. Highs in Spokane and Coeur d’Alene should be 73. On Saturday, the clouds continue along with a 20 percent chance of showers and highs in the lower 70s. The solstice occurs at 10:46 p.m. on Saturday, signaling the arrival of summer. Sunday could be an even wetter day. Forecasters are calling for 60 percent chance of showers and highs well below normal at about 60. The average high for this time of year is 75. Lows for the next several nights are expected to be in the low 50s dropping to the upper 40s by Sunday night. Today’s weather is being caused by a strong high-level jet stream off the Pacific Ocean that is creating turbulence in the atmosphere and pushing a cold front ahead of the jet. At 7 a.m. today, temperatures were mild with 54 at Spokane International Airport, 60 at Coeur d’Alene, 54 at Pullman and 54 at Sandpoint.