Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Weekend weather: Taste of summer to return for holiday weekend

Torrin Crosen, 22, helps set some of the 803 flag at Greenwood Memorial Terrace, May 21, 2014, in Spokane, Washington, in honor of Memorial Day. (Dan Pelle / The Spokesman-Review)

This week’s brief taste of summer will return in time for the Memorial Day holiday, forecasters said on Wednesday.

The blustery winds and abrupt cool down Wednesday are going to leave behind at least one day of clouds and possible showers or even thunderstorms on Thursday.

A high of 68 is expected on Thursday.

But sunshine will return by Friday and continue through Monday and likely beyond that, forecasters said.

“High pressure will begin building along the coast on Friday. A few showers may pop up over the Idaho Panhandle mountains on Friday, but the rest of the Northwest will begin a warming and drying trend that will carry through the Memorial Day weekend,” said National Weather Service forecaster Greg Koch in an online weather summary.

In Spokane, highs will go from 73 on Friday to 79 on Saturday, 83 on Sunday and 85 on Monday.

Mid-80s for highs should continue through at least Wednesday.

This is a far cry from last year when Memorial Day weekend temperatures in Spokane were in the middle 60s to lower 70s, but it was dry.

The normal high for the fourth week in May is 69 for a high and 46 for a low.

In Coeur d’Alene, highs will be a few degrees cooler than Spokane, reaching the lower 80s on Sunday and Monday.

To the southwest, the warm up will be more noticeable.

Moses Lake should see middle 80s on Saturday and then the low 90s on Saturday and Sunday.

Outdoor enthusiasts and campers are warned that some of the region’s rivers will be running fast and cold. Those draining higher peaks will also be on the rise.

“The warm temperatures will result in another round of snow melt with river rises next week,” forecasters said.

“The current forecast has the Okanogan and Stehekin rivers at the highest risk for flooding…and the Methow River rising back up to near flood stage. (The weather service) will also have to keep a close eye on the Kettle, Entiat and Similkameen rivers.”

Despite the recent warmth, snowpack in the mountains remains well above normal for late May, the weather service said.