Boise woke up to more snow Tuesday. Will roads get slick? Is there accumulation to come?
Boise residents awakened Tuesday morning to a flurry of snow outside their window and a winter weather advisory notification on their phones.
Before the city had fully gotten to work, 2.1 inches of snow had been recorded at the Boise Airport, and the National Weather Service expects more to fall over the course of the day. The winter weather advisory notes that 1-3 inches of snow will fall in the Treasure Valley, with up to 4 inches in some spots. It remains in effect until 11 p.m. Tuesday.
“It’s a little more snow than we expected,” Weather Service meteorologist Sophia Adams told the Idaho Statesman. “We have a band that’s over us right now, and we are expecting that to continue through the afternoon.”
Although snow is forecast throughout the day for Boise, Adams said temperatures will rise to the upper 30s. The higher temperatures mean the snow could transition to rain in the early afternoon, but it likely will return to snow around 10 p.m. if there is still precipitation in the area, Adams said.
The warmer temperatures are helping road conditions in Boise, with little accumulation of snow expected on roadways and sidewalks. Snow on Monday morning under colder temperatures resulted in snow accumulation on major roadways, including nearly 100 traffic incidents on Interstate 84 between Boise and Mountain Home.
If any slick spots occur, it’ll be overnight when temperatures drop to around 26 degrees, Adams said.
“For the (Wednesday) morning commute, if there are still some wet spots with any lingering snow, especially in shadowed north-facing areas, you could see some slicker spots,” Adams said.
Heavier snow in the mountains
While the snow remains lighter in the valleys, it’s a different story for the mountains.
The Weather Service reported that McCall had seen 11 inches of snow by 8 a.m., while closer to home, Bogus Basin had picked up about 8-9 inches. Adams said she expects Bogus Basin’s snow totals to increase to about 11 inches by noon and 15 inches by the end of the day.
“The roads, as usual, will be pretty dangerous and snow-covered,” Adams said. “They do a great job on (Bogus Basin Road), and those road crews work really hard up there, so that will help.
“But just with the amount of snow that we’ve seen,” Adams continued, “it will definitely be dangerous, so follow the local and (Bogus Basin’s) guidance for what kind of snow tires you need and stuff like that.”
This story was originally published March 5, 2024 at 11:27 AM.
