Warmer-than-normal temperatures hit the Treasure Valley. What to know.
For those in the Treasure Valley planning to spend their long weekend outside, you can expect warmer-than-normal temperatures — at least for today.
Sophia Adams, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Boise, told the Idaho Statesman that the high for Friday is expected to be in the mid- to upper 90s.
“That’s about 10 degrees above average for this time of year,” she said.
Adams encouraged those planning to spend the day outdoors to hydrate, wear sunscreen and have access to shade. “Just being smart,” she said.
By this evening, an upper-level trough will bring the temperature down, Adams said. But it will also bring the possibility of windy thunderstorms to the region, particularly in areas surrounding the Treasure Valley.
The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for parts of Owyhee County and west of the Magic Valley. Those warnings are issued when the NWS expects conditions to be “favorable for fires to start and potentially grow,” Adams said.
The Gem State has already seen over 200 fires this year, and the Idaho Department of Lands has warned that the state is seeing “unprecedented wildfire conditions” right now, according to prior Statesman reporting.
Earlier Friday, the Gem County Fire-EMS sent its crews to battle a 300-ton hay fire off Little Rock Road, which is roughly 20 miles north of Caldwell.
The Sand Hollow Fire Protection District, which also responded to the fire along with New Plymouth, warned residents not to start campfires, use fireworks, drag chains, weld or grind metal outdoors, or even toss cigarettes as conditions are “primed for rapid fire.”
“If it can spark, flame, or even might start a fire — DO NOT DO IT,” the district posted on its Facebook page.
