Fog lifts, but clouds darken sky

Fog in the Spokane and Coeur d’Alene areas this morning has lifted, but spring-like cumulus clouds are bringing a small threat of showers this afternoon. Visibilities down to a quarter mile were reported early today and the fog could return overnight between 1 and 10 a.m. on Friday. A disturbance aloft was generating tall cumulus clouds near Spokane and a 20 percent chance of showers this afternoon. Mostly cloudy skies and a high around 50 are expected in Spokane and Coeur d’Alene today. Sunny weather is likely Friday after morning fog and sun should prevail through the weekend. Highs are expected to reach the lower 50s with lows in the 30s. The next storm system off the Pacific Ocean is expected Sunday night or Monday with temperatures cooling next week. The National Weather Service said a mix of snow and rain in the valleys and mountain snow are possible by Monday night and on into next week. For today, higher air pressure is replacing Wednesday’s light rain storm. The storm track along the coast will carry precipitation into California through the weekend, forecasters said. At 7 a.m., it was 34 at Spokane International Airport, 38 in downtown Spokane, 37 in Coeur d’Alene and Deer Park and 32 in Pullman.