New forecast: sun Friday, showers Saturday, sun Sunday

The National Weather Service this afternoon issued a new forecast backing off on the risk of showers this afternoon and Friday. Partly sunny skies will continue this afternoon with a high near 68. Mostly sunny weather is expected on Friday with a high of 73 in downtown Spokane and 74 in Coeur d’Alene. Showers are expected Friday night and Saturday with mostly cloudy skies. Picnic and barbecue weather may arrive by Sunday. A low pressure area off the coast of southern Oregon is spinning milder air northward to the Inland Northwest today, initially with lots of sun, but forecaster said they expect it to bring an unstable atmosphere with clouds and possibly a few thunderstorms by 11 p.m. on Friday. That unsettled weather should last through Saturday with highs near 67, but Sunday is shaping up to be a nice day with highs near 74 and partly sunny skies. The mild weather and partly sunny skies will hang around on Monday with highs in the lower to middle 70s. At 7 a.m., it was 43 at Spokane International Airport, Pullman and Coeur d’Alene; 40 in downtown Spokane; and 47 in Deer Park.