Fog shrouds Coeur d’Alene; warm afternoon in forecast

Fog has settled over the Coeur d’Alene area this morning, causing visibility problems as far west as the rest stop at Huetter on Interstate 90. Other areas of fog were expected this morning across the region. Once the air warms, the fog will dissipate, forecasters said. One more warm day is in store for the Inland Northwest before a new Pacific frontal system brings clouds, cooler temperatures and winds by Friday morning. Highs today should reach the middle 60s under sunny skies with lows tonight dropping to the middle 40s. Higher air pressure over the region the past few days is holding air pollution, including smoke, close to the ground today, creating hazy conditions. But that won’t last with the high being shoved east by an incoming Pacific system that will clear the air, National Weather Service forecasters said. On Friday, the associated cold front should cross the Spokane and Coeur d’Alene areas between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m., pushing sustained winds of 17 mph and gusts to 25 mph. The fast-moving front is not likely to cause any rain in Spokane, but it will bring clouds for a short time. Temperatures are expected to drop by about 10 degrees on Friday, but sun should come out in the afternoon. Cooler weather with highs in the 50s should hang over the region through Sunday, but no rain is in sight. More sunny skies are expected. Nighttime lows are expected to be in the 30s with chances of frost by Saturday night. Sunny skies and highs in the lower 60s are being forecast for the first half of next week. At 7 a.m., it was 41 at Spokane International Airport, 39 at Felts Field and in Coeur d’Alene, 30 in Deer Park and 48 in Pullman.