Inland NW gets short break from rainy season

National Weather Service forecasters today said they expect the Inland Northwest to get a brief break from the stormy weather that moved over the region late last week. A 30 percent chance of showers today and a high of 50 will give way to dry and partly sunny conditions on Tuesday. However, there is enough moisture in the lower atmosphere to cause fog late tonight and early Tuesday. A high of 56 is expected on Tuesday, going to 60 on Wednesday. An upper level low pressure area that brought all of the rain and wind last weekend has moved over the Great Basin to the southeast and is being replaced by a mild area of higher air pressure. Moisture returns on Wednesday with a chance of thunderstorms over the region. Partly sunny skies return on Thursday but clouds build again on Friday with more rain likely late Friday and Saturday, forecasters said. Spokane had 0.28 inches of rain at Spokane International Airport, bringing the total for Thursday through Sunday to 0.54 inches. Southwest wind gusts to 45 mph were measured at the airport on Sunday. The average high today is 55 with an average low of 36.