Autumn weather here to stay

An abnormally warm September will end on a cool note today as autumn weather settles over the region from today through the weekend. As of this morning, the average temperature in Spokane was 5.2 degrees above normal for the month as a result of the summer-like weather that brought highs into the 80s and 90s last week. A broad trough of lower air pressure has descended over much of the western U.S. during the past couple of days, bringing much cooler temperatures and a chance of showers. Highs today will struggle to reach the middle 50s across the region with clouds and a chance of showers and light wind. There is also a chance of frost tonight in exposed and lower-lying locations as lows reach down in the middle or lower 30s. The weather should rebound by a few degrees Thursday with partly sunny skies, but new impulses of storm energy will raise a risk of showers going into the weekend. A shot of cool northerly air over the weekend could bring rain or snow showers to the mountains of the region and the chance of showers at lower elevations. Highs should remain in the 50s through Sunday, but National Weather Service forecasters are calling for a warming trend starting Monday when highs return to the lower 60s with sunshine. For today, forecasters are calling for 56 in downtown Spokane, 55 in Coeur d’Alene and 54 in Spokane Valley and Post Falls. There is a 20 percent chance of showers. At 7 a.m. today, temperatures were 35 at Spokane International Airport, 39 at Felts Field, 40 in Coeur d’Alene, 41 in Sandpoint, 28 in Deer Park and 38 in Pullman.