Bloomsday forecast: chilly

The National Weather Service is forecasting chilly weather for Bloomsday with a race-time temperature of 43. It won’t be a repeat of the even colder weather this morning when wind chills below freezing greeted Inland Northwest residents as they stepped outside. At 7 a.m. today, a steady wind of 23 mph and a temperature of 40 at Spokane International Airport are combining to create a wind chill effect on the skin of 30 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. On Sunday, similar morning temperatures are expected, but the winds should be light and there may be some sun shining through partly cloudy skies. Sunday should be the nicest day of the weekend with a high near 60. Forecasters said the cold air was brought into the region overnight by a broad area of lower air pressure that arrived with a rainstorm on Tuesday and continued to bring unsettled weather into the region today. Snow was spotted as low as 3,000 feet this morning in portions of the Palouse region in North Idaho. A winter storm warning was issued for the mountains of the central Panhandle this morning for up to 6 inches of snow through this morning. Lookout and Fourth of July passes on Interstate 90 could see snow, forecasters said. Both passes were reporting slush and light snow this morning. A 60 percent chance of rain showers is being forecast after 2 p.m. The cool weather won’t be going away soon. The chance of showers will continue through Friday night with highs in the low to middle 50s and lows in the middle 30s. A break in the weather is expected this weekend, but no warm up is in sight. Partly to mostly sunny skies are being forecasted for Saturday and Sunday with highs in the middle to upper 50s. Sunday will be the nicest day of the two under the current forecast. Another low pressure area is expected next week. On Tuesday, the airport reported .18 inches of rain.