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

Summer heat not gone yet

The last week of summer should live up to its name with highs today reaching the lower 80s and then climbing to as warm as 91 degrees in downtown Spokane on Wednesday. Highs across the urban areas are expected to be 82 in downtown Spokane, 81 in Coeur d’Alene and 80 in Spokane Valley and Post Falls. Sunday’s high in Spokane was 89 degrees. The normal temperature for mid-September in Spokane is 74 for a high and 47 for a low. Priest River tied a record high at 88 degrees on Sunday, equalling the temperature for the date in 1948. Also, Mullan Pass tied a record for the warmest overnight low for the date at 57 degrees. The last time it was that warm at night at the pass was in 1944. Higher clouds today were streaming into the region from a weak area of low pressure along the Oregon and California coastlines, but the disturbance is not expected to bring any precipitation to the region, just some cooling from Sunday’s warm weather. Even so, forecasters were calling for mostly sunny conditions across the region today through Wednesday. Light south winds were forecast today, although gusts at mid-day kicked up a haze from dust. Lows at night should stay mild in the 50s. The next chance of any precipitation comes on Wednesday night and Thursday morning, but forecasters are putting the chances of rain at 20 percent. At daybreak, temperatures were mild at most locations with 58 at Spokane International Airport, 61 in Coeur d’Alene, 65 at Felts Field and 53 at Deer Park. The cool spot was Sandpoint at 46. Daylight hours are shortening as summer comes to a close. Tonight’s sunset is at 7:04 p.m. and Tuesday’s sunrise is at 6:28 a.m. Autumn arrives with the fall equinox on Sept. 22 at 2:18 p.m.