Hi all - We all know it's getting hot ... really HOT for June in SW Idaho, and it's going to get even hotter next week ... up to 107 by next week.
What the heck is going on? It's already been a dry spring ... the last thing we need is a major heat wave before July, when you know it's going to be hot in the low-elevation valleys of Idaho!
I checked with the National Weather Service experts in Boise. A High Pressure system camped off the Pacific Coast, plus a Low Pressure system off the tip of the Alleutian Islands, are creating a dynamic where the jet stream is moving way north into Canada, and hot air from the Desert Southwest to moving north into the Pacific Northwest, where it may break all temperature records next week!
In short, we're getting the weather that Vegas and Phoenix typically get.
The model run pictured above shows the extreme heat in orange and reddish-orange, and you can see how the heat blob is centered right over Idaho ... Damn! This system may persist beyond next week ... so make plans accordingly!
Please be careful during the heat wave, stay hydrated and find places to keep cool however you can! If you go outside, be sure to wear a hat, sun screen, etc., bring plenty of water, and set up a sun shade to stay out of the direct sun.
Here are a couple of my recent beat-the-heat posts that might be helpful:
- 10 perfect paddling destinations in SW Idaho for SUPs and kayaks
- Here comes the Heat: 5 primo places in SW to take your SUP (or kayak)
Topic #2 this week: Remember the old Smokey the Bear saying, "Only you can prevent forest fires" ?
Well, this year, that saying is especially true.
It's already a given that we're in for a long, hot summer. We're in it now!
But perhaps you didn't know that 80% of all the wildfires we have in Idaho each year are caused by humans. Some of them turn into mega fires ... like the guy who was shooting at exploding targets and started the Sharps Fire over by Bellevue a couple of years ago, which burned more than 65,000 acres ... or the guy who was setting off fireworks by Table Rock and started a fire over there. And on and on.
So just a wee bit of advice, if you need to have a campfire, be sure to put it DEAD OUT before you go to bed. And definitely before you leave the campsite. Last year, Boise National Forest fire prevention control employees found nearly 400 campfires that had been left burning after they left.
And remember, no fireworks are allowed on Forest Service or BLM lands.
Let's be smart and do what we can to prevent wildfires in Idaho. We've all been through smoke-filled summers, and it's no fun at all! Plus, the damage to property and natural resources is something that we must avoid!
For more information about fire prevention and fire safety, go here.
- SS
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