Clouds won’t inhibit heat today

High temperatures today are running two degrees hotter than the forecast. At 3 p.m., Spokane International Airport was at 91. The forecast this morning was for 89. A relatively weak storm system moved through the upper atmosphere this morning, bringing an increase of clouds and a small threat of thunderstorms in and near the mountains. The Spokane and Coeur d’Alene areas have 20 percent chance of thunderstorms during the day on Friday. Clouds will hang around on Friday when temperatures heat up again, potentially to the hottest so far this season. Downtown Spokane and Coeur d’Alene are forecast to reach 92 on Friday. A series of weak weather disturbances not strong enough to be labeled storms will cross the region over the next several days. One is expected Friday evening and a second on Saturday. Highs will be in the upper 80s to lower 90s through Monday. Cooling back to about 80 is likely on Tuesday and Wednesday. Today’s weather disturbance reportedly brought some thunderstorms to areas in eastern Oregon and southeast Washington. Here, this morning’s temperatures just after daybreak were again on the warm side – some of the warmest morning readings of the season. At 7 a.m., it was 64 at Spokane International Airport, 61 at Felts Field and 64 in Coeur d’Alene.