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

Weekend weather: Summer-like conditions return

A taste of summer returns to the Inland Northwest, but without too much heat.

The string of clouds, showers and below-normal temperatures will depart the region at least through the weekend.

Higher air pressure is expected to move northward on Thursday in advance of a new low-pressure area off the British Columbia coast.

The warm-up and sunshine that arrived on Wednesday will continue on Thursday with highs in the middle 80s in Spokane.

Light winds will accompany the warmer air in the Spokane region, but areas to the west could see gusts to 25 mph.

“The push of southerly winds will deliver the warmest day of this week, with afternoon highs finally climbing back to normal,” according to a Wednesday forecast discussion from the National Weather Service.

The low-pressure system should stay to the north of the region. However, it will push a dry cold front over the area on Thursday night.

The region will see a small chance of scattered showers or thunderstorms in northern reaches of the Inland Northwest.

Highs should continue near 80 through Sunday in Spokane.

Lows should be in the middle and upper 50s.

In Coeur d’Alene, highs should get to the lower 80s on Thursday before dropping back to the middle 70s.

Sunday’s high in Coeur d’Alene could reach 77 degrees. Lows will be in the 50s through the weekend.

The National Weather Service said that some areas of the Okanogan region and Columbia Basin could see gusty southerly winds on Thursday and low humidity, increasing the risk of grass fires.

The normal high in Spokane for mid-July is 83 degrees with a normal low of 56.

Spokane last recorded a high at or above 80 degrees on July 3, but that came after a week of warm, hot conditions, including highs of 90, 92 and 94 on June 27 through 29.