Spokane to see its warmest days of the year this week

Spokane is heating up.

The National Weather Service forecasts Wednesday and Thursday will hit 100 degrees, making it the first triple-digit temperatures in Spokane this year, weather service meteorologist Phillip Pandolfo said. Even if temperatures don’t quite hit 100 it will likely be the warmest temperatures the city has felt this year, he said.

“We are going to be looking at some major heat risk across the Spokane and Coeur d’Alene area this week,” he said.

The weather service forecasts Monday will reach a high of 93, while the region also may see haze from fires in the Colville Reservation area. Tuesday is forecast to be sunny with a high of 98, and Wednesday and Thursday are both predicted to hit 100. Friday will still be hot, although temperatures will drop a few degrees to a high of 96. Saturday should top out at 91 degrees.

Smoke from nearby wildfires – such as the Kaiser Canyon fire on the Colville Reservation, which has grown to more than 62,000 acres as of Sunday night, according to the National Interagency Fire Center – has triggered a weather service air quality alert for the Spokane area. The alert is effective through Monday night and into Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. The Air Quality Index, according to the weather service, is expected at “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” and could reach “Unhealthy” levels.

“When air quality is Unhealthy,” the alert reads, “everyone should reduce exposure. Limit time outside, avoid strenuous outdoor activity, and follow tips for cleaner indoor air.”