Weekend weather: No rain for holiday weekend

It’s commonly believed in the Inland Northwest that summer weather arrives around the Fourth of July.

This year’s Independence Day period will follow that pattern with lots of sunshine and highs in the 80s.

Any chance of precipitation, even over the mountains, should end early today as the atmosphere dries out and cools down a few degrees from a weak cold front that was forecast to pass through the region by this morning.

At lower elevations around Spokane, highs will be in the middle and upper 80s up to 91 on Sunday with lows at night well into the 50s. Spokane could even see a low of 60 on Saturday night, making outdoor sleeping comfortable.

Coeur d’Alene will be a few degrees cooler with highs running from 81 to 84 degrees and then 87 on Sunday and lows in the middle and upper 50s. Sandpoint may be a couple degrees cooler than that.

The mountains will also be cooler depending on elevation, but highs should run in the 70s at middle elevations and middle to upper 60s near the mountain tops.

Lows in the mountains should be solidly in the 50s.

A National Weather Service forecaster confirmed: “Any threat of precipitation through the holiday weekend ends today.

“There is no compelling reason to introduce any precipitation into the forecast during this period except a ghost of a chance of showers near the Cascade crest.”

A few high clouds are possible as the northern storm track moves into Canada.

A weather change on Sunday will not be very noticeable except for some clouds and a chance of winds.

The normal high in Spokane for the start of July is approaching 80 degrees.