Intense heat replaced by intense winds in southern Idaho on Wednesday

Added: 2026-05-13

[00:00:01]Well, we are in the middle of a pair of First Alert weather days. Today for the intense heat we are seeing out there and tomorrow for intense wind that will come in as a powerful cold front marches through. It'll send the heat packing.

[00:00:15]So, today's sizzling summerlike heat is a oneandone. But still, tomorrow's cold front will bring some big impacts as well. So, for today, of course, big story that record setting heat. I just saw the Boisee airport spike up to 97°.

[00:00:31]That may end up being our official high for today. It is downright toasty out there this afternoon. Then tomorrow morning, a cold front marches in that will bring in very windy conditions as early as midm morning. Also, some isolated thunderstorms will accompany that front in the morning. Wind though really the biggest impact tomorrow that will likely create areas of blowing dust. And when you combine that with the very dry fuels that we have in place at the surface and the possibility of a couple lightning strikes from those thunderstorms, fire danger remains elevated across the area during the day tomorrow. So, if you're headed out this afternoon and evening, lots of water, limit your time in the heat, just find some shade and maybe soak in the warm weather that way. Secure those loose outdoor items tonight in anticipation of that wind tomorrow and generally over the next 24 hours or so. Just be weather aware. So now we're at 95 degrees, clear skies in Boisee, but look at this humidity at 10% in the city of trees.

[00:01:28]Singledigit humidity readings in Mountain Home. That's so dry, bone dry, it's almost like sprinkling uh gasoline across that dry vegetation. And all we need is a little spark to light things.

[00:01:40]And that wind tomorrow will take that spark and fan some flames. So I'm urging everyone to be so cautious as you're out and about doing things. uh dragging chains can spark a fire. A grill, if you've got a embers going, especially like a charcoal grill, a fire pit, anything like that with these dry conditions can be very dangerous. So, just please be extra cautious and mindful. We're slowly seeing a couple of showers and thunderstorms developing across eastern Oregon and south central Idaho. Not really amounting to much right now on the Idaho side of things, but it's just an indication that our atmosphere is starting to destabilize just a bit. The cold front itself is still pretty far off to the west. is going to very quickly march east though.

[00:02:18]Breezy in the morning. We'll wake up to mid60s by the way. Potentially the warmest start to a May 13th ever on record. Then you'll notice a sharp uptick in those winds right around lunchtime tomorrow. We're talking 40 to 50 plus mileph wind gusts, especially east of Boisey. That can be damaging. So that's why I'm urging you to really secure any loose outdoor items tonight in anticipation of that wind. Here's a possibility between maybe 10:00 a.m. and noon with the passing of that front that we could have some thunderstorms firing off. I'm thinking mostly north and west of Boisey into the west central mountains, but not out of the question that a few rumbles of thunder and quick bursts of rain and some intense winds could hit the Treasure Valley. Morning temperatures will be strangely comfortable. Mid60s is what we'll wake up to after today's hot day, but that front comes through and will just stall us out in the mid to upper 70s.

[00:03:08]Tomorrow, the front takes a little longer to reach the Magic Valley. Highs there will likely still hit the mid 80s before sharply dropping on Thursday. But again, wind is that big story tomorrow.

[00:03:18]Be ready for it. On Thursday, we stay breezy but not nearly as windy, pretty comfy all in all. Friday, gorgeous, mid70s and sunny. Then another front comes in Saturday, knocks our temps down to the 60s for the weekend and brings more wind in for Saturday and Sunday.

[00:03:32]We'll be right back.