Hot/Cold (Boise: place to live, move, car)

[maui08]

Aloha

We have received a lot of helpful and informative feedback from the folks of Boise! Thank you. We have been told and keep reading about the cold winter and HOT summers in Boise.....it's hard to fully understand what this actually means when we have never been there. Can anyone compare the weather in Boise to another part of the country so we better understand how cold and how hot it gets....? We have lived in Hawaii, San Diego, New York, Texas, Colorado and Michigan...so we have a pretty good idea of different weather patterns but not up in the northwest.

Thanks for the feedback.

[Ellwood]

I have been in Boise in July and the temperature was 110 degrees. Even though the people I was visiting insist that you don't feel the heat because of the lack of humidity, I thought it was VERY hot. I have been in HI and it is comparable to no trade winds in the summer.

We recently returned from a visit the beginning of December and although the natives felt it was cold, but compared to NY IMO would have to say it wasn't that cold.

[maui08]

Originally Posted by Ellwood

I have been in Boise in July and the temperature was 110 degrees. Even though the people I was visiting insist that you don't feel the heat because of the lack of humidity, I thought it was VERY hot. I have been in HI and it is comparable to no trade winds in the summer.

We recently returned from a visit the beginning of December and although the natives felt it was cold, but compared to NY IMO would have to say it wasn't that cold.

Thank you Ellwood. That is exactly what I was hoping to hear. I know the NY winters are frigid and how hot Hawaii can get with no breeze....so saying the things you did make Boise sound like paradise to us! Aloha

[Perkinst]

Boise winter climate is similar to Colorado, with less snow (on average) than Denver. Summers can be a little warmer than Colorado, because of a lower elevation. Higher humidity comes from farming irrigation.

[Torrie]

Originally Posted by Ellwood

I have been in Boise in July and the temperature was 110 degrees. Even though the people I was visiting insist that you don't feel the heat because of the lack of humidity, I thought it was VERY hot. I have been in HI and it is comparable to no trade winds in the summer.

Wow, 110 degrees, we don't hit that number very often if at all. You must have been here about three or 4 summers ago when we had two weeks of what seemed like a heat stroke. That's the only year I noticed our temperatures getting that high. Typically a few weeks out of the year we'll hit temperatures anywhere from 102- 107. Not my favorite time of year as I don't like it super hot, but it's bearable as I know it doesn't last too long. I've never been one for hot temperatures.....I just don't get the AZ thing, sorry AZ, but I know people who flock there because they like to bask in the sun.

[Need2Leave]

Originally Posted by maui08

Aloha

We have received a lot of helpful and informative feedback from the folks of Boise! Thank you. We have been told and keep reading about the cold winter and HOT summers in Boise.....it's hard to fully understand what this actually means when we have never been there. Can anyone compare the weather in Boise to another part of the country so we better understand how cold and how hot it gets....? We have lived in Hawaii, San Diego, New York, Texas, Colorado and Michigan...so we have a pretty good idea of different weather patterns but not up in the northwest.

Thanks for the feedback.

The worst of summer is comparable to the high desert north and east of LA.

The worst of winter could be compared to E. Colorado, without the open-plains winds. And rarely does boise get more than a few inches of snow at a time... the heavy snow typicaly stays up in the mountains 500-1000 ft above the city, Boise generaly melts off within a week or two.

[LPerkins33]

If anyone considers Boise winters cold then they have never been to the midwest in the winter. Its downright balmy here...it bothers me greatly, doesn't feel right to have 40-50 degree days in January...

[ecocks]

Thanks for that! My wife and I have been discussing a Boise move and she was a little worried about winters there. I love cold and snowy (but driving distance is fine with me) and she was picturing snowdrifts to the eaves and digging out the car every morning.

I lived in CO for 10 years and feel like I will be fine with the weather, just a bit worried about her though.

[Torrie]

Originally Posted by ecocks

Thanks for that! My wife and I have been discussing a Boise move and she was a little worried about winters there. I love cold and snowy (but driving distance is fine with me) and she was picturing snowdrifts to the eaves and digging out the car every morning.

I lived in CO for 10 years and feel like I will be fine with the weather, just a bit worried about her though.

Maybe up in Northern Idaho, but not typical for Boise. Personally, I think Boise-Metro has the best weather out of the whole state. We do get snow, but it's not so terrible that you can't go about your business.

[Lacerta]

I think we have some of the best weather in the country. But then, I couldn't stand it if it were the same all year, like So. Cal. or Hawaii. We really have 4 seasons here, and I love that.

Winter, less snow and not as cold as Colorado, definitely not like Michigan. A lot of snow on the ground for us in Boise is 6 inches. As for drifts, I think this last storm (fairly large for us) had drifts like 8 or 10 inches deep. I've lived here all my life (I'm 30) and the most I ever remember on the ground at once was about 2 feet, maybe 2 & 1/2. It was also 26 below that year, the coldest I think its ever been in Boise. Anyway, the eaves are safe.

The one thing to be aware of in the winters here is the inversion. If you have asthma or other breathing problems, it might not be the best place to live. In the winters, if we don't have enough storm systems, the warm air gets trapped. Less cold, but also dirty. They can last for weeks. If we get regular storms, like last year and this year, no inversion. If you don't have breathing problems, or if you don't spend a lot of time outdoors in the winter, its just an annoyance.

For the summers, not as hot as Texas, but hotter than San Diego or Hawaii. We did have an extreme summer recently that had like 18 days in a row (or something like that) over 100 degrees. That is rare for us. I've also seen summers that it only topped 90 a couple times. Normal is about 7-10 days of 100+ weather, and it really is pretty dry, so it is hot, but not unbearable.