Spring warm-up starts this afternoon

This morning’s chilly start should be the last in the current round of cool April weather. Forecasters said that a much-advertised warm-up starts this afternoon and will continue through next week when highs could hit 83 in downtown Spokane on Tuesday. Temperatures in Spokane are expected to reach the upper 50s today and into the 60s on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, then going to 75 on Sunday. Coeur d’Alene should get to 58 today and then be about 4 degrees warmer than Spokane through Sunday when a high of 79 is forecast. Clouds this morning are likely to dissipate with sunshine ruling the rest of the day, forecasters said. A mix of sun and clouds continues through Friday night, but the weekend is seen as being mostly sunny. Chance of precipitation is 10 percent or less through Friday night. A weak, dry frontal system is expected on Friday before a strong ridge of high pressure builds across the west, bringing another step into warm spring weather over the weekend and early next week. The warmer weather will come as a welcome relief after Tuesday morning’s snowfall and a high at Spokane International Airport of 47 degrees, which was 10 degrees below normal. Temperatures at 7 a.m. were in the 30s at most locations with Spokane International Airport and Coeur d’Alene at 35, Sandpoint at 37, Pullman at 34, Cheney at 30 and Deer Park at 31.