BOISE, Idaho – Idaho’s run of mild fall afternoons will end abruptly as a surge of Arctic air and several snow-producing systems sweep across the Northwest between November 9 and 15. The shift marks the Gem State’s first widespread taste of winter, bringing colder days, nighttime freezes, and travel concerns from the Panhandle to the Snake River Plain.
According to the NOAA Climate Prediction Center, Idaho will trend below normal in temperature and above normal in precipitation through mid-November. That pattern supports multiple snow chances — heavy in the mountains, lighter in the valleys — particularly across northern and eastern Idaho, including Coeur d’Alene, Idaho Falls, and Pocatello.
The National Weather Service offices in Boise, Pocatello, and Spokane report that a strong cold front early next week will drop highs into the 30s and 40s statewide, with lows in the 20s or colder in mountain valleys. A mix of system snow and lake-effect snow from Lake Pend Oreille could reduce visibility and create slick spots along I-84, I-90, and U.S. 95, especially during morning commutes.
Residents are urged to winterize now — test heating systems, wrap pipes, and prepare vehicles for snow and ice. Mountain travelers should anticipate chain restrictions and changing conditions on passes like Lookout, Lolo, and Teton.
With Thanksgiving less than three weeks away, forecasters say Idaho’s upcoming cold surge signals the start of a much snowier, stormier stretch — the state’s firm step into winter 2025.
