Sun, mild air move into region today

The Inland Northwest is going to see warm temperatures and more sun this week under a strong ridge of higher air pressure that is moving into the area from the southwestern U.S. A high of 57 under mostly sunny skies is expected today with lows tonight in the middle 30s. Fog was being reported this morning near the Medical Lake interchange on Interstate 90; along U.S. Highway 2 near Davenport; and U.S. Highway 195 near Spangle. The fog was expected to dissipate by 10 a.m. Rain has moved to the south of Spokane and Coeur d’Alene and may continue to fall across southeast Washington and the central Idaho Panhandle today. Spokane had 0.44 inches of rain on Monday and Monday night. Cooler conditions tonight may cause heavy moisture in the lower atmosphere to condense into fog overnight and early in the morning. The longer period of darkness this time of year contributes to cooling and the formation of a temperature inversion, which holds moisturer and pollutants near the ground. Fog should burn off by 11 a.m. to reveal another mild and partly sunny day on Wednesday with a high of 54. The pattern is going to repeat itself on Thursday with the fog being more persistent and Friday will start out the same way. Highs remain in the lower and middle 50s with lows in the upper 30s. A chance of rain returns on Friday night through Monday. Cooler temperatures next week should bring snow levels back down into the mountains and a few flakes might turn up in the valleys of the region next week, National Weather Service forecasters said. The average high for today in Spokane is 48 with an average low of 32. At 7 a.m., it was 46 at Spokane International Airport and Felts Field, 50 in Coeur d’Alene, 42 in Deer Park and 52 in Pullman.