Boise State football returns home on Saturday. Will stormy weather ruin the festivities?

Storms are in the forecast for Boise this weekend, extending an already-wet week for the Treasure Valley after 0.13 inches of rain fell on Wednesday morning.

For those attending Boise State football’s first home game of the season, or even just tailgating before the game, the news of rain may throw up a few concerns.

Fortunately, for the most part, the only thing that should be falling from the sky on Saturday afternoon is touchdown passes.

The National Weather Service in Boise forecasts a 30% chance of storms on Saturday evening. Meteorologist Bill Wojcik told the Idaho Statesman on Thursday that there’s a slight chance that storms can move in around the end of the game but not to expect any rain until 6 p.m. at the earliest.

“But it could change, and people should be prepared; it’s only Thursday,” Wojcik said. “So check back on Friday and even Saturday morning.”

Rain will continue through Saturday night and into Sunday morning, with about a 30-40% chance of thunderstorms lasting through Sunday daytime before it clears up by the evening.

The wet weather is a continued result of hurricane moisture that made its way northward from Post-Tropical Cyclone Kay.

The Hyde Park Street Fair is returning after two years for those who don’t plan to attend the Boise State football game. The fair begins on Friday, which is forecast to be 77 degrees and clear, but attendees on Saturday and Sunday would do well to check the forecast — or at least take a look out of the window — before heading out.

Cooler weather… finally

The weekend will also bring below-average temperatures, giving Idahoans their first taste of fall. The Weather Service forecasts a high of 79 degrees on Saturday and 76 degrees on Sunday.

Both temperatures are below the historical average temperature for mid-September, while the forecasted low temperatures are also below the historical lows by a couple of degrees.

Boise has endured a hot enough September as it is. Earlier in the month, the city recorded four days over 100 degrees, the most ever in September, beating out the previous record of two, which was set in 2020. On Sept. 7, Boise also hit a high of 104 degrees, the hottest temperature ever recorded in the city in September.

“Technically, we are still in the summer. But yes, it’s a more fall-like weather pattern coming up,” Wojcik said.

The meteorological summer ended on Sept. 1, but the astrological summer ends on Sept. 22 with the arrival of the autumnal equinox. Idahoans can expect a colder-than-average fall and snow as soon as October, according to the Farmers’ Almanac.