Boise gets much-needed rain. After third-driest March on record, will it make a dent?
.jpg "Winds could get as strong as 55 miles per hour in Idaho.")
The April showers started this month when the Treasure Valley was hit by some much-needed rain on Monday — even if some of it was so-called dirty rain.
With the year off to a dry start in Idaho, it remains to be seen whether the precipitation will continue this month to get May flowers in bloom and put a dent in the state’s drought.
Coastal storms from the Pacific Northwest sent a push of moisture to Idaho, spreading both rain and snow, according to the National Weather Service. Rain began falling early in the day and had totaled about 0.2 inches in Boise by the afternoon. The Banner Summit area of the mountains northwest of Stanley had seen 11 inches of snow by the afternoon, with a small amount expected to fall through Tuesday morning, the weather service said.
The rain was mostly a welcome sight, since 2022 has started off trying to be the driest calendar year on record in Boise.
“Normal values for around this time, since January 1, was 3.91 inches, and we’re sitting at 1.55,” Katy Branham, National Weather Service meteorologist, told the Idaho Statesman. “That doesn’t include the two-tenths that we’ve had today. But even with that, clearly we’re still well underneath the mark there.”
Some local residents reported finding cars and other outdoor items covered in specks of mud after the rain. The National Weather Service said the culprit was wind blowing lake-bed dust from Summer Lake, Oregon, which then falls with the precipitation. It’s a phenomenon known as “dirty rain” that is not uncommon in Southwest Idaho.
After Monday’s rain, weather experts were recommending that residents be on the lookout for strong winds. Oregon received some significant gusts that made their way to Idaho, according to Branham. Boise was under a wind advisory until Tuesday morning, and sustained wind was buffeting the Treasure Valley by 6 p.m. Monday.
“We have others sites, especially across eastern Oregon, that have gusted to around 50 to 55 (miles per hour), even stronger than that at times,” Branham said.
The National Weather Service advised drivers to be mindful of blowing dirt and dust that could reduce visibility.
Despite the clouds Monday, sunshine will return soon. The weather is expected to turn by the end of the week, with temperatures in the high 70s by Friday. But the weekend looks cooler, with a high of 53 on Saturday and only 47 on Sunday.
This story was originally published April 4, 2022 at 6:21 PM.
