FRYDAHO

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With the temperature rising above 105 degrees Tuesday afternoon, Lisa Coster turned on the air conditioning in her Eddie Bauer Ford Expedition when she made a short trip to the store.

When she came back out and turned the key, nothing. It didn’t start.

“It’s stupid. I shouldn’t have used it in town,” she said. “But it’s so hot.”

Chuck Leighton saw Coster’s troubles just off Appleway Avenue and tried to help with booster cables to jumpstart it.

“Try it again,” he told her as he adjusted the clamps to the battery posts.

No good.

Coster, disappointed, got a ride home and left her SUV behind until she could figure out what to do. Meanwhile Leighton of Big Smoke said people seemed to be pretty crabby in the suffocating heat.

“Me being one of them,” he said, laughing. “It’s hot. It’s miserable.”

But Leighton knew it would get better, and for that, he was thankful.

“I’m dealing with it fine when I’m at home and the air conditioning is working,” he said with smile.

Coeur d’Alene Climatologist Cliff Harris said it hit 107 degrees at his weather station on Player Drive, falling just short of the all-time record of 109, but it did beat the record for the date of 96 degrees set back in 2008. It was also the hottest June day ever. The old record was 105 degrees on June 28, 2015.

Other stations around North Idaho went to 108, including the airport. In Bonner County, the reported temperatures ranged from 104 to 107. North Idaho College went to 110. Spokane at least tied its all-time record at 108 degrees.

The National Weather Service reported the thermometer hit 109 degrees Tuesday.

So far, people seem to be handling the heat.

Law enforcement officials in the region did not report any serious weather-related issues. Regional hospitals also reported they did not have any incidents specifically tied to heat, such as heat exhaustion or heatstroke.

Around the region, streets, yards and parks were barren of people, who retreated to their basements to stay cool or huddled behind closed doors with the air conditioning cranked.

Sean and Jessica Phillips were sitting in chairs in the Spokane River at Atlas Park. They recently moved to this area from Las Vegas.

“We’re used to it, but trying to get away from it,” Sean Phillips said, smiling.

Jessica Phillips, wearing a long-sleeve shirt and visor for protection from the sun, said the conditions were a “pretty average Vegas summer.”

“Upsetting, but I’m sure it won’t last,” she said.

Two days after Ironman CDA, Laura Curtis was on a two-mile run through the Sanders Beach neighborhood as part of her training for Ironman Cozumel in Mexico in November.

“I’m just getting used to the heat,” she said.

Other than taking it slow and easy, and not taking deep breaths, she said the run was going well.

“It’s not as bad as I thought it would be,” she said.

Berlyn Pedroza was sitting on the shores of the Spokane River with her son, Kaleb. It was too hot to bring their dogs along.

They’ve tried boating, Silverwood Theme Park and just staying home to keep cool.

“It’s extremely hot, obviously,” she said.

Gary and Marcy Bolster sat inside the cool confines of Cold Stone Creamery at Riverstone.

“We had an errand to run and decided to get ice cream, too,“ Marcy said.

The two planned to hang Sheetrock on their new home under construction this week — but are adjusting to avoid too much time in the sun’s rays.

“We’re going to get started at 7 a.m.,” Gary said, chuckling.

Maybe 5, actually, Marcy said.

Calvin Cooper, manager of Cold Stone Creamery, said it was crazy busy, well beyond what is normal. People were ordering single-, double-scoops, with sorbet a favorite.

“It’s been insane for a Tuesday.”

Mike Merenda said he was looking anywhere for shade when he had to venture outside.

“Pretty much, that’s what I’ve been doing,” he said.

“If you’re in the sun too long you’re going to be burned and you’re definitely going to be toast,”he said.

Steve McRae was walking slowly through Riverstone wearing shorts and white T-shirt, with a friend on the way to pick him up from a shoe-shopping trip.

He said since he’s had open-heart surgery, he has to be careful not to be in the heat.

“I get a little dizzy,” he said.

Noah Nordgaarden, wearing a tank top and board shorts, walked on Appleway Avenue toward his work at Tomato Street.

In his hand, he carried a bag of Gatorade bottles. When he started his walk, he said his shirt was wet.

“It’s dry now,” he said.

“I don’t usually wear shorts to work. Our boss is like, ‘OK. I understand it’s really hot.’”

Nordgaarden said their air conditioning couldn’t keep up with the triple-digit heat Monday night.

”Oh man, last night was terrible,” he said. “We’re just doing the best we can. AC is doing its best. It’s just the fact that the air outside is so hot.”