Lower Spokane temps, but no rain in sight to help firefighters

Conditions during the warm weather on Sunday were ripe for fire, with strong wind gusts and low humidity.

At Spokane International Airport, southwest winds gusted to 36 mph repeatedly through the afternoon on Sunday. The National Weather Service had posted a red-flag fire warning for Eastern Washington, most of North Idaho, Central Washington and parts of Western Montana. It was extended to 11 p.m. as a new cold front approached the Inland Northwest during the evening.

The wind was steady – and erratic, shifting direction from south to west-southwest during the day.

During the height of the fires on Sunday, the relative humidity had fallen to 10 to 12 percent as measured at Spokane International Airport. Highs around 90 degrees contributed to the dry and combustible conditions.

A cold front moving in Sunday evening was expected to drop temperatures by 15 to 20 degrees from Sunday, which will help firefighters tame the flames.

There’s no rain on the horizon, though: Highs in Spokane on Monday should reach the middle 70s and then upper 70s on Tuesday before going back to the lower to middle 80s later in the week.