Weekend weather: Searing heat wave expected

Anyone seeking relief from this weekend’s heat might consider heading to the hills, or in this case, the highest elevations of the Inland Northwest.

Highs at lower elevations will start out today in the lower and middle 90s and then go to the middle and upper 90s Friday before sizzling weather arrives for the weekend through Monday.

While much of the region below 3,000 feet in elevation should see highs in the triple digits on Saturday through Monday, the highs at 5,500 feet and above may get to the lower to middle 80s, according to the National Weather Service.

Up there, you will hardly need a sleeping bag with overnight lows staying in the 60s.

That compares with the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area, where highs should be solidly in the triple digits, starting with 100 degrees on Friday and going to 103 and 104 on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

There won’t be any relief from the heat on Lake Coeur d’Alene where highs are like to go to 100 on Saturday and 103 on Sunday.

Forecasters said a strong area of higher air pressure is going to anchor itself over the western U.S. and provide the mechanism for moving hot air northward.

Clouds streaming up the Pacific coast may provide enough nighttime cover to keep lows in the upper 60s to 70s in Spokane. Record warm overnight lows are possible.

At the same time, this year’s light snowpack and early spring runoff have led to record low flows on many of the region’s streams.

On Tuesday, the North Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River was flowing at 115 cubic feet per second, breaking the old record of 149 cfs in 1992.

The St. Joe River was at 681 cfs, breaking the old record of 940 cfs in 1926.

The Spokane River was 993 cfs, compared with the previous record of 1,580 cfs in 1992.

Minor relief from the hot dry weather is in sight on Tuesday with more moderating temperatures possible as the July Fourth holiday weekend arrives.