What Happened to Winter in Idaho and Will it Come Back?

When most people think of winter in Idaho, they think of cold temperatures, snow, skiing, snowboarding, sledding, and a white winter wonderland. For adults, perhaps you think of slick roads, shoveling driveways, and the chores that come with the winter weather. In the past, this description was accurate, but over the last couple of years, it has been far from reality for residents in parts of the Gem State. Where is the snow, the below-freezing temperatures, the complaining about being cold, and where has winter in Idaho gone?

No Snow Days in the Magic Valley

Most students in Idaho get the opportunity to enjoy a few days, and often weeks of snow days each school year to get out and play in the snow, have extra time to do the homework they put off, or to sleep in during a tough week. Last year was the first year in a long time that there were no snow days for many of the schools in the Magic Valley. There was snow here and there, but nothing worthy of shutting down the schools. Now halfway through January, while there is still plenty of winter and time to go, one must wonder, could it be back-to-back years with no snow days for schools? Looking at the forecast, it is looking less and less likely that one may occur this year. Growing up, did you ever have two years in a row without a snow day in Idaho?

Lack of Snow and Cold Weather in Idaho

In my time in the Gem State, there have been winters where the ground was white for months, the sun wasn't seen for weeks as the sky remained gloomy, and temperatures never got above freezing from Christmas to April. Last year, temperatures rarely dropped below freezing, other than at night, and this winter has been similar, with most days in the mid-40s to the low 50s. Snow has become extinct in parts of the state, and even ski resorts are struggling to get the amount they need to operate on their typical schedule. So what is causing winter to go away in Idaho? The problem is that climate change is hitting Idaho, and most of the western United States. The higher temperatures are causing the moisture to be rain instead of snowfall; therefore, it is creating less of a snowpack despite there being moisture during the winter.

Get our free mobile app

For now, enjoy that you can go outside, save firewood, and not have your bones be cold every time you go outside. Enjoy saving that energy that you aren't using shoveling snow, shivering, or having to track through feet of snow to your vehicle. As anyone who has lived in Idaho for a decent amount of time knows, the weather can change fast, and winter could be just around the corner.