BOISE, Idaho — It's hard to believe looking out at southern Idaho today, but this winter season took its time getting going. While Boise did pick up 2 1/2" of snow on the very first day of December, we didn't get much more after that, wrapping up 2023 with just 3.9" total snow and most area ski slopes experiencing later-than-desired openings and southern Idaho snowpack numbers becoming worryingly low.
Then, January hit, and in roared winter with impressive amounts of snow piling up in a recent 7-day span. In fact, from January 6th-13th, the Boise airport (which is where official measurements are recorded for the City of Trees) picked up 18.9" of snow, more than a year's worth of accumulation; total for the 2023/2024 season so far is 22.9".
During that week in January, Boise also set two daily snowfall records: one on January 10th with 5.2" of snow, and then just this past weekend with 6.8" of snow piling up at BOI on January 13th.
With the recent pile-up of powder, anyone who's lived in SW Idaho for at least 7 years is probably asking this question: how does this winter now stack up to the "Snowmaggedon" winter of 2016/2017?
Let's break it down by the numbers:
- Through January 15th of the '16/'17 winter season, total Boise snowfall was at 29.9".
- Through January 15th of our current winter season, Boise has piled up 22.9", 7" less than the same time period during Snowmageddon but still more than our average total annual snowfall of 20.1".
- Total snowfall for the Snowmageddon winter season was a whopping 39.1", nearly double the normal amount Boise sees in a year!
- One key difference-maker: the month of December
- Dec. 2016 total snow: 14"
- Dec. 2023 total snow: 3.8"
For an added comparison, the winter of 2016/2017 wound up being the 4th snowiest winter in Boise since 1950 with its 39.1". Here are the top 3 (since 1950):
1. 1951/1952 - 41.7"
2. 1968/1969 - 41.1"
3. 1985/1986 - 39.5"
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