Forecasters with the National Weather Service say storms will move into southern and central Idaho this afternoon. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain and flash flooding.
The system is a surge of monsoonal moisture approaching Idaho from the south. NWS Meteorologist Les Colin says an inch of rain could fall in some areas.
"The storms that would form would be slow moving and therefore they could drop their entire rain load on one spot," Colin says. "And that could create flash flooding in areas of steep terrain or narrow creeks and streams, even where there have been burn scars from recent wildfires."
A flash flood watch will take effect at noon Monday and stay in place until 9 p.m. Tuesday. The watch area includes the upper Treasure Valley and the western Magic Valley.
The same system could drop locally heavy rains on much of the Mountain West. Forecasters say in Idaho, the heaviest rain is likely in the Boise Mountains and the Camas Prairie.
Colin says such rain events are not uncommon in the region in the mid to late summer. He says the moisture in this particular system originated off the southern California coast.
Find Scott Graf on Twitter @scottgrafradio
Copyright 2014 Boise State Public Radio
