Winter Warning: 5 Laws, Rules and Etiquette That Boise Needs to Know

Idaho’s winter may be influenced by an El Nino weather pattern, but that doesn’t mean that we won’t see some heavy snowfall. 

According to the National Weather Service, “normal” snowfall for a season in Boise is about 18 inches based on past records from 1991-2021. If you expand the range from 1950 to the end of winter 2022-2023, the average snowfall for our area is 20.1”. 

Get our free mobile app

But this isn’t a typical winter. The Pacific Northwest is expected to be impacted by a “strong” or “very strong” El Nino pattern. We dug through decades of weather records and determined that Boise’s average snowfall when El Nino is strong or very strong is 13.3 inches. We know that Boise’s weather can be unpredictable, so this is just a warning to be prepared because snow can start suddenly and pile up quickly. 

It did on January 9 when a quick band of snow dumped a few inches on the valley floor right before the morning commute. Plows and road crews were out all night trying to get ahead of the store and make the drive easy for commuters, but when the snow comes it quickly as it did even the most experienced motorist can get caught in a slippery situation.  

It does take a little time to readjust to driving (and sometimes walking) in winter weather conditions. To make the transition of seasons easier for you, we put together this handy guide to things you may have forgotten about when it comes to your vehicle or sidewalks in winter weather!