Storm drops snow in E. Oregon, W. Idaho, but Boise may not see white Christmas

It looks like Boise is going to get a warm Christmas, not a white one.

The high temperature Tuesday is expected to reach about 40 degrees, so the moisture that’s in a storm moving through the region will likely be rain in the Treasure Valley.

Meteorologists’ loose definition of a “white Christmas” is at least an inch of snow on the ground, Michael Katz reported in a story Friday.

“ I don’t expect a white Christmas here,” National Weather Service forecaster Korri Anderson said Monday afternoon. But we may see some snow fly Tuesday and again on Thursday.

The best chance for snow flurries is around noon Tuesday, but Anderson said there’s likely to be a rain-snow mix.

Snow fell Monday afternoon in eastern Oregon and parts of western Idaho, including Owyhee County, according to the Weather Service. So if you’re headed west for the holiday, be prepared for winter driving conditions.

Check out 511.Idaho.gov online or call 5-1-1 for the latest road conditions. Information on the site Monday shows visibility due to fog is an issue for some mountain passes.

At 2:15 p.m. Monday, Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area’s Web site was reporting 5 inches of new snow in the past 24 hours. Anderson said the ski area could get another 2 to 4 inches on Christmas Day.

The base depth at Bogus Monday is 28 inches, and 81 of 95 trails are open. So far, 28 trails have been groomed.

This story was originally published December 24, 2018 at 2:35 PM.