Gusty winds continue through this evening

Wind will continue to whip across the Inland Northwest today with gusts expected to peak at 29 mph in Spokane and 24 mph in Coeur d’Alene. Highs should reach the upper 60s under partly sunny skies. A transition to warmer weather over the weekend is allowing a series of weak cold fronts to approach the region from the northwest, creating a steep pressure gradient with down sloping winds off the Cascades. Gusty winds will continue this evening. The winds should ease by Friday when the high goes into the lower 70s. Forecasters are still expecting a fine July Fourth holiday weekend with highs going from about 79 on Saturday to about 80 on Sunday and Monday. Sunny skies are expected all three days. A weak cold front Saturday night may bring clouds and showers to the mountains of north central Washington and the central Idaho Panhandle, but other locations should remain dry during its passage. The real heat arrives after the holiday ends as higher air pressure from the Southwest U.S. continuing to build into the Pacific Northwest. Highs should reach 90 on Tuesday and Wednesday. At 7 a.m., it was 52 at Spokane International Airport, 55 at Felts Field, 54 in Coeur d’Alene, 52 in Deer Park and 54 in Pullman.