Cooler Weather Comes to Southern Idaho

I saw an online post from a friend asking for details about water levels in rivers and streams in southwestern Idaho.  It’s obviously still dry, and long-range forecasts don’t show a lot of rain.  But cooler temperatures this weekend should slow evaporation.  Saturday’s predicted high will barely break 60, and Sunday probably won’t be close to that mark.  Early next week looks cool as well, with a mix of sun and clouds.  Then the spring warmup returns late next week, and it’ll be toasty through the following weekend.  This is the latest from the U.S. Drought Monitor.  It’s not a pretty map.  All of Idaho is dry, and the worst is close to home.

The Fire Threat is Growing

Pop-up thunderstorms still happen on hot days, and often aren’t in forecasts.  The lightning produced is a potential fire starter.  A few days ago, Twin Falls County Sheriff Jack Johnson met with chiefs from a variety of fire agencies.  They expect we’ll see wildfires, and are working to have a plan in place.

We Need Water, and It's Not Here but There

There’s water in abundance in North America, but it’s just not here.  Check out this video about the Great Lakes.  I once wrote a piece several years ago about piping water from there to here, but after watching the short film, it doesn’t appear to be a good idea.  The explanation comes at the 2:40 minute mark.  While we may not see a population drain soon, it could happen if the drought here is longer than most historical cycles.