“Today will be the hottest day of the year, so far,” said Les Colin, lead forecaster at the National Weather Service Office in Boise, where he and his fellow meteorologists are tracking a significant high pressure system and its grip over southern Idaho.
“After Monday, it’ll cool back through about Wednesday, and then it’ll start warming again. And it looks like the 4th of July is going to be possibly as hot as Monday," he said.
Colin visited with Morning Edition host George Prentice to drill into the immediate outlook and the long range forecast which is calling for “warmer than normal” conditions, particularly in the stretch from July through September.
“It’s the greenhouse effect inside the car. It can get up to 130- to 140 degrees there when it’s only about 100 degrees outside.”
Read the full transcript below:
GEORGE PRENTICE: It is Morning Edition on Boise State Public Radio News. Good morning. I'm George Prentice. Do you know where your sunscreen is? Do you have your bottle of water ready and a hat? Sunglasses? Welcome to summer… in a big way. Everyone will be talking about the weather today. So, to start off that conversation this morning, let's bring in Les Colin, Lead Forecaster at the National Weather Service office in Boise. Les, good morning.
LES COLIN: Good morning.
PRENTICE: So give us some particulars. What are the factors that will drive the weather today?
COLIN: Well, today will be the hottest day of the year so far as it gets hot like this when we have high pressure aloft. And that is what will be over us, especially on this day.
PRENTICE: So I've been looking at some records. It looks like we hit 106 degrees in 2015. We might come close to that, but probably not that high.
COLIN: Right. We're not expecting it to get that hot. We've got a forecast high of 101.
PRENTICE: Which happens to be the second highest rating for this day.. set in 2006 and I think 2016. Les, could you talk a moment or two? It's worth reminding people that heat cannot be ignored.
COLIN: Well, that's right. Heat can be dangerous. You need to be mindful of enough to to drink… and make sure not to leave pets or especially children in cars… and to always be aware of dehydration that can occur. This is a time of year when those things can happen.
PRENTICE: You know, it's so interesting about cars: we think about heat in terms of what the outside heat is…but it is significantly hotter inside a car.
COLIN: Yes, that's right. It's the greenhouse effect inside the car. The car actually acts like a greenhouse; and it can get up to 130 - 140 degrees inside there, when it's only about 100 degrees outside.
PRENTICE: Wow. Well, the AAA is telling us that more than 285,000 Idahoans will be traveling for the 4th of July, most of them by car. So, we've got a lot of anxious people this morning wondering what you might tell us about the upcoming week and more importantly, the 4th of July weekend.
COLIN: Well, Monday will be the hottest day; and after that it'll cool back through about Wednesday… and Wednesday will be relatively cool, and then it'll start warming again. And it looks like for the 4th of July is going to be possibly as hot as Monday.
PRENTICE: My goodness. Okay. Don't put that sunscreen away anytime soon. So extra-extended…what might you tell us about the extended forecast for the summer now that we're in the throes of summer?
COLIN: Well, the longest range prediction we have shows that for June through August, temperatures in Idaho will be close to normal. But getting over to the western border, it will be above normal… warmer than normal…and especially in Oregon, it will be warmer than normal for June, July and August. Now, if we go July, August, September, the greatest anomaly above that is above normal will be centered over Colorado. But southern Idaho will be within that domain. So that will also be above normal, even more than June, July, August. July, August, September, as I say, will be warmer than normal, especially in southern Idaho.
PRENTICE: So interesting, because we have exited spring with what was… well, is it fair to say that we had a relatively normal spring?
COLIN: Actually, it was colder than normal…cooler than normal by quite a bit.
PRENTICE: But we're heading into all the summer months. But you're saying warmer than normal. And it does get pretty warm… and let's just say the word: “hot.” So, again, precautions. He is Les Colin, Lead Forecaster at the National Weather Service Office in Boise. Les, we'll do our best to keep cool. Thanks to you and your colleagues for what you do this day, and every day. And for now, thanks for giving us some time this morning.
COLIN: Well, you're welcome. Thank you.
Find reporter George Prentice on Twitter @georgepren
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