Boise heat records from 1949, 1966 are under threat this weekend. Here are the details
Just when Treasure Valley residents had let their guard down after a few “cooler” days, the heat returned with a vengeance Friday and it won’t let up through the weekend.
Boise was likely to experience record heat on Friday with temperatures soaring to 106 degrees, beating the previous high for Aug. 2 of 103 degrees in 1966.
The National Weather Service in Boise expects high temperatures to remain above or around the 100-degree mark until the second half of next week. Counting Friday’s heat, Boise has experienced 17 days of at least 100 degrees since July 1.
An excessive heat warning was issued for the Treasure Valley and eastern Oregon until the end of day Friday. The warning concerns extreme heat that will “significantly increase the potential for heat-related illnesses.”
A heat advisory — a level below a heat warning — was issued through Saturday.
July’s extreme weather, which saw a record-tying nine straight days of at least 100 degrees, was caused by a high-level ridge that had been over the western half of the country for multiple weeks.
A low-pressure system off the West Coast brought temporary relief to the Northwest — and even some storms — but National Weather Service meteorologist Josh Smith told the Idaho Statesman that the ridge was settling back into place.
Saturday’s forecast high temperature of 104 degrees is just one degree off the historical record for Aug. 3 of 105, set in 1949. So the City of Trees is unlikely to break any other temperature records week, but that won’t stop it from feeling sweltering outside.
Fortunately, the extreme heat won’t last for too long.
The Weather Service forecasts a low-pressure system breaking up the high-pressure ridge next week and bringing cooler temperatures and clouds to the Treasure Valley.
“There’s a low-pressure system near Las Vegas, and that’s going to move up over the next couple of days,” Smith said. “It’ll move to the region late (Saturday) night and Sunday morning, and that’s going to help with bringing some thunderstorms but also help bring some cooler temperatures. It’ll weaken that ridge a little bit.”
There’s only a 30% chance of storms on Saturday night and less than that Sunday. The Weather Service forecasts temperatures to remain at or above 100 until dropping to 96 on Wednesday and 94 on Thursday.
This story was originally published August 2, 2024 at 11:28 AM.
