Whew! Relief is on the way

Coeur d’Alene didn’t break any records Tuesday, but when it’s that blasted hot, who’s counting?

According to Press meteorologist Randy Mann, the thermometer maxed out at 95 — well short of the record for the date, a painful 102 just three years ago. Mann said haze helped hold off hades.

He also promised some good news on the meteorological horizon.

This weekend — just in time for Art on the Green, Street Fair and Taste of Coeur d’Alene — we should see much cooler temperatures. Highs shouldn’t go beyond the upper 70s and low 80s, he said.

And the wildfire smoke that’s been a North Idaho plague about this time in recent years?

“Everything is down to the south — luckily,” he said. “I think with this pattern most of it will stay there.”

After bone-dry conditions — Mann said the area received a stingy .04 inch of rain in July — there’s a slight possibility of showers Monday or Tuesday.

“Right now it looks like Coeur d’Alene will be on the southern edge of a storm, so we’ll see,” he said.

For the remainder of August, Mann suggested keeping your umbrella in the closet. Maybe the end of the month will bring heavenly showers, however.

“And we should be back to normal in the fall,” he added, sounding at least a little hopeful.