When was it last this cold in Boise? 1991. Yeah, we’re not going outside either.
Record-breaking snow and the possibility of record-low temperatures will mean the closure of multiple schools in the Treasure Valley on Friday.
It also prompted Boise Mayor David Bieter on Thursday to declare a state of emergency.
School officials in Boise, West Ada, Nampa and Kuna say they are closing schools because of unplowed side streets and sub-zero temperatures. (More school closures below.)
The National Weather Service in Boise is projecting a low of -9 degrees Friday with high of 9 degrees. Overnight Thursday, temperatures dipped to -4, according to Dave Groenert, a meteorologist with the NWS. Meteorologists later measured -8 degrees at the Boise Airport at 8:01 a.m. — the coldest official measurement in Boise since a -12 day on Jan. 5, 1991.
With winds expected to surpass 10 mph or greater, Jessica Caubre, a meteorologist with NWS Boise, said temperatures will feel like -19.
“It will be very cold and very dangerous if you are not dressed properly,” Caubre said.
Caubre also advised that people do not leave pets outside, or in their vehicles.
The predicted high Saturday is 20 degrees. On Sunday, it'll climb to 30 degrees.
The record low for Jan. 6 in Boise is -10, which was set in 1982. The lowest temperature on record for Boise is -28, set on Jan. 16, 1888.
Temperatures in the Mountain Home area are expected to drop as low as -12 or -14 degrees. Fairfield is predicted to have the lowest temperature around the state at -33 degrees.
As of Thursday morning, the National Weather Service measured a record 15 inches on the ground at the NWS office at the Boise Airport, fouling streets around the Treasure Valley.
School closures for Friday
▪ Anser Charter
▪ Bishop Kelly High
▪ Boise School District (including all after-school activities)
▪ Emmett School District
▪ Gem Prep, Nampa
▪ Hope Lutheran Preschool
▪ Kuna School District
▪ Middleton School District
▪ Minidoka County School District
▪ Nampa Christian Schools
▪ Nampa School District
▪ Riverstone International School
▪ Vallivue School District
▪ West Ada School District
▪ Wilder School District
Send your closures to newsroom@idahostatesman.com.
Click here for Thursday’s closures.
Road information
▪ Check the Ada County Highway District cameras for current conditions.
▪ Check here for statewide road conditions.
Boise Airport
Check here to see your flight’s status.
TRASH AND RECYCLING DELAY
Trucks for Republic Services may be slowed or delayed in their collection, according to the Boise Public Works Department.
If trash and/or recycling is not collected as scheduled, customers are asked to leave their carts out for service.
Republic Services plans to work Saturday to ensure all trash and recycling are collected this week despite the challenging road conditions.
STATESMAN DELIVERY MAY BE DELAYED
Because of poor road conditions and freezing temperatures, Idaho Statesman delivery will likely be delayed in some areas Friday.
Because of unplowed roads, the newspaper may be delivered to driveways on some routes rather than the normal delivery location. The carriers cannot reach newspaper tubes in some cases so papers might be in the driveway.
This story was originally published January 5, 2017 at 3:16 PM with the headline "When was it last this cold in Boise? 1991. Yeah, we’re not going outside either.."