Heat advisory covers region

The National Weather Service on Thursday issued a heat advisory for the entire Inland Northwest for highs on Saturday and Sunday ranging from the upper 90s to triple digits.

Highs of 100 degrees on Saturday and 103 on Sunday are expected at Spokane International Airport, but downtown where Hoopfest competitors will be playing, the highs are expected to be 101 on Saturday and 105 on Sunday.

The heat advisory is in effect from noon Saturday through 11 p.m. on Sunday. The all-time high for June in Spokane is 101, set in 1992.

The weather service advised precautions – shade, sunscreen and drinking plenty of water – and warned that very young and very old people are the most vulnerable to high heat.

Hoopfest: Temperatures in downtown Spokane will reach 100 at 3 p.m. Saturday and stay above 100 until around 6 p.m.

On Sunday, the thermometer downtown hits 90 just before 10 a.m.; 100 about noon; and 105 from 3 to 4 p.m.

The heat stays above 100 until after 7 p.m. Sunday.

Ironman: During Coeur d’Alene’s Ironman on Sunday, the temperature is expected to reach 90 at 10 a.m.; 95 before noon; and 100 around 2 p.m. before getting to 102 around 4 p.m.

A northeast wind of 3 to 5 mph in both cities on Sunday provides the only relief.

Later: A weak disturbance moves into the region from the Pacific coast on Sunday evening, bringing with it a chance of thunderstorms on Sunday night and Monday.

Highs drop by several degrees in response, but will still be in the upper 90s on Monday and middle 90s on Tuesday.

The heat lingers into the July Fourth weekend with 96 forecast for Thursday in Spokane.