Highs going to 80s ahead of cold front

Warm air moving ahead of a Pacific low pressure system should push temperatures into the middle 80s across the region today, but a cold front tonight and another one on Thursday will bring some natural air conditioning to the Inland Northwest through Friday. Clouds this morning were streaming across the region by a push of warm air in the middle layers of the atmosphere, but no precipitation is expected from the relatively flat cloud layer. Gusty winds are likely to start blowing later today and again on Thursday as air pressure gradients increase as a result of the incoming low off the ocean. Initially, winds will blow from the east and then turn to come from the southwest as the cold front passes this evening. Highs on Thursday and Friday should be in the middle to upper 70s, which is about normal for this time of year. Cool, dry air off the Pacific could allow nighttime temperatures in Spokane to drop into the lower 40s on Friday night. The unsettled weather should clear the region in time for Hoopfest on Saturday and Sunday. Forecasters are calling for sunny days and highs in the lower 80s. Generally good weather should continue through Tuesday with mostly sunny conditions expected early next week. At 7 a.m., temperatures were in the 50s to lower 60s across the region with 57 at Spokane International Airport, 59 in Coeur d’Alene, 54 in Sandpoint, 52 at Newport, 61 in Pullman and 60 in Cheney.