Happy Friday! It's a warm April afternoon across Idaho courtesy of strong southwest flow. Temperatures have climbed into the mid to upper 70s in the Treasure Valley and the upper 50s to low 60s in the mountains. However, keep your eyes peeled for scattered showers and thunderstorms moving in from eastern Oregon throughout the evening, with the possibility of a few of these storms reaching severe limits.
The showers and storms will track from southwest to northeast across the area. The Storm Prediction Center has placed southwest Idaho and eastern Oregon in a marginal risk for severe thunderstorms, meaning an isolated storm or two could turn severe. The parameters for a thunderstorm to be considered severe are 58mph or greater wind gusts or over 1" diameter hail. While most storms may not reach this criteria, it's best to be prepared just in case.
The thunderstorm threat diminishes overnight, but scattered showers will continue. As we head into Saturday morning, this system will move out and we'll be back to sunny skies and warm temperatures. Some areas in the Treasure Valley may even see temperatures reach 80° for the first time since mid-October. Stay hydrated and wear sunscreen if you're planning on being outdoors!
Sunday will bring cooler weather as a Pacific low moves inland, with temperatures dropping by about 10-15°. By Tuesday and Wednesday, temperatures continue to cool into the 50s for the valleys before warming up again later in the week. Enjoy the weekend and stay safe!
