Record-breaking heat will continue to bake Idaho and eastern Oregon through Friday, with valley temperatures soaring into the mid-80s before a weekend cold front brings much-needed cooling and breezy conditions.
How Much Longer will our Record Heat last... Check out my Video Forecast
Exceptional Heat and Fire Danger
An unusually strong high-pressure system is driving temperatures 20 to 25 degrees above normal for mid-March. Valleys will see highs in the low to mid-80s, while mountain areas will reach the 60s. Friday is expected to be the hottest day, with a forecast high near 84 degrees in the valleys.
The combination of unseasonable heat, dry conditions, and breezy winds is creating early fire danger concerns. Areas near the Nevada border and Harney County will see elevated fire risks on Thursday and Friday afternoons as relative humidity levels drop.
Weekend Cold Front Brings Relief
The record heat will break on Saturday as a cold front sweeps across the region. This system will drop temperatures by 10 to 15 degrees by Sunday, bringing highs back down into the 60s.
While precipitation will be mostly limited to the mountains, the front will bring breezy west-northwest wind
s Saturday afternoon, with gusts reaching up to 23 mph Saturday night.
Another Warmup Next Week
The cooling trend will be short-lived. Temperatures will begin climbing again early next week, reaching up to 15 to 20 degrees above normal by Tuesday with highs back in the mid-70s.
By Wednesday and Thursday, another cold front is expected to cross the area. This system will bring gusty winds, a chance of rain for northern areas, and a return to more seasonable temperatures in the upper 50s by Thursday.
Mountain Snow Conditions for Ski Areas
The extreme warmth through Friday will continue to rapidly melt the snowpack, leading to heavy, slushy spring skiing conditions. The cold front arriving Saturday will bring cooler temperatures and a chance for light mountain precipitation, but significant fresh snowfall is not expected in the immediate future.
Daily Forecast:
Tonight
Mostly clear, with a low around 52. Light wind.
Friday: Sunny with an all-time March record high temperature, a high near 84. Wind Nearly Calm.
Friday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 51. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph.
Saturday
Partly sunny breezy & not as warm, with a high near 70. Wind becoming NW 9 to 14 mph in the morning.
Saturday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 37. NW wind 5 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.
Sunday
Sunny & cooler, with a high near 63.
Sunday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 41.
Monday
Mostly cloudy & mild, with a high near 66.
Monday Night
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48.
Tuesday
Partly sunny & warmer, with a high near 75.
Tuesday Night
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51.
Wednesday
A 20 percent chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 64.
Wednesday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 36.
Thursday
Sunny & seasonable, with a high near 57.
