Will Boise get a break from the heat this week? Don’t count on it. Here’s how hot it’ll be
If you were hoping for it to cool down in Boise anytime soon, you’re out of luck.
High temperatures throughout the Treasure Valley will likely remain around or above 100 degrees for at least the next week. To make matters worse, smoke from the quickly growing Cow Valley Fire in eastern Oregon is being pushed by winds toward Idaho, blanketing Boise in a smoky haze.
Here’s what to know about Boise’s weather.
No end in sight for extreme heat
Temperatures in Boise started creeping toward the double digits on June 5 when a high-pressure system brought a heatwave to much of the western United States.
Boise has experienced scorching temperatures, reaching as high as 108 degrees. The city endured a record-breaking five consecutive days, from July 9 to 13, with temperatures hitting at least 105 degrees, surpassing the previous record of four days set in 2022.
The high temperature topped out at 99 degrees on Sunday and reached 98 on Monday afternoon, snapping Boise’s streak of days at least reaching 100 degrees at six.
But a second streak was expected to start Tuesday, with the National Weather Service in Boise forecasting a high of 100 degrees. Every day after that, until Sunday, when the Weather Service stops its forecast, it is predicted to reach at least 100.
The hottest day is forecast to be Sunday: 107 degrees.
As of Monday morning, this July ranked as the 10th-hottest July on record in Boise, with an average temperature of 80.7 degrees, including daytime highs and nighttime lows. With more triple-digit temperatures on the way, this July probably will move up the list by the end of the month.
The hottest July since records began in 1877 is July 2021, when the average temperature was 83.8 degrees. Of the top 11 hottest Julys on record, only one hasn’t occurred in the 21st century: July 1960, which is tied for 10th with this year at 80.7 degrees.
Continued wildfire smoke
Treasure Valley residents may forget what the Boise Foothills look like because they’ll be covered in smoke for the foreseeable future.
Weather Service meteorologist Les Colin told the Idaho Statesman that two Oregon wildfires are the main culprits for Boise’s smoky skies.
The larger fire is the Cow Valley Fire in Malheur County. The brush fire started on July 11 and has quickly spread to over 130,000 acres. The fire is 0% contained, and Oregon fire officials don’t expect to contain it until July 27.
The second fire is the Falls Fire, which started on July 10 and is about 25 miles northwest of Burns, Oregon. It covers more than 70,000 acres and is 0% contained; Oregon fire officials estimate the fire will be contained by July 30.
Fortunately, the wildfire smoke isn’t drastically increasing temperatures in Boise. In fact, it may be making them slightly cooler.
“At night, it usually has no effect on low temperatures because it doesn’t block the outgoing radiation very well,” Weather Service meteorologist Josh Smith told the Statesman. “But during the day, it can prevent surface heating, so we could be slightly cooler than maybe what we would have been without the smoke.”
This story was originally published July 15, 2024 at 12:28 PM.
