Above-normal temperatures stick around

Mild weather will continue across the Inland Northwest through the middle of next week. Hiighs Friday once again will reach the lower 40s in Spokane and Coeur d’Alene. A mix of clouds and sun developed across much of the region today as low level clouds cleared away under a warming sunshine. Forecasters have dropped the chance of snow and rain tonight and are now forecasting rain only mainly after 4 a.m. on Friday and continuing into the evening. Lows tonight should dip to the middle 30s. Patchy fog could be a problem over the weekend, which should otherwise be mosly cloudy. Highs will continue in the 40s with lows in the 30s through Sunday. A break in the clouds and precipitation arrives on Monday through Wednesday when partly sunny skies are likely and temperatures remain above normal. The string of above-normal temperatures now dates back nearly a month to Jan. 9 when the high stayed below freezing at 30 degrees that day. The normal high for today is 36 and the normal low is 24. At 11 a.m., it was 40 at Spokane International Airport, 43 in downtown Spokane, 39 in Coeur d’Alene, 42 in Deer Park and 42 in Pullman.