Clouds moving into region

This morning’s clear skies is changing over the partly cloudy conditions and forecasters said the increasing clouds could bring a chance of showers and isolated thunderstorms this afternoon with highs in the low 70s across the Spokane and Coeur d’Alene areas. Middle and upper elevation stratus clouds should be accompanied by developing cumulus clouds as the day warms up, forecasters said. Warmer weather is forecast through the rest of the week, with highs in Spokane reaching the low 80s on Thursday and Friday. By the weekend, a weak disturbance off the British Columbia coast is likely to increase the amount of cloud cover and risk of showers and possible thunderstorms. But the weather should be comfortable, with temperatures on Saturday and Sunday going into the upper 70s, which is above the normal for this time of year. Lows will start out tonight at 48 in Spokane and 47 in Coeur d’Alene and then warm to the 50s by Wednesday night through the weekend. A low pressure system in central Canada is affecting the region’s weather today by sending waves of higher clouds over the region this morning. Colder air aloft also will allow billowy cumulus clouds to start forming at mid-day, creating a risk of showers or thunderstorms as the convection cells grow in size. The Canadian low is going to be replaced by a stabilizing ridge of higher air pressure on Wednesday through the day Friday before a weak low pressure center sliding toward the Pacific Northwest from off the coast of British Columbia brings more clouds and a risk of showers and thunderstorms during the weekend. At 7 a.m., temperatures in the region were in the middle to upper 40s, with 48 at Spokane International Airport and in Coeur d’Alene, 45 in Sandpoint, 46 in Cheney and 48 in Pullman. Normal temperatures for today in Spokane are 72 for a high and 48 for a low.