An anomalously strong upper-level ridge is building over the Desert Southwest and Great Basin, driving temperatures into record-breaking territory through the week with dry conditions and light winds expected to persist through Saturday before a gradual cooling trend begins.
Currently, mostly cloudy skies are in place across the area with afternoon rain and snow showers ongoing across the northern part of the region. Snow levels are hovering between 7,000 and 8,000 feet with accumulations expected to remain under a tenth of an inch. These conditions will change dramatically over the next 24 to 48 hours as the ridge takes control.
Temperatures will climb steadily from slightly above normal today to 10 to 20 degrees above normal Tuesday and 15 to 25 degrees above normal Wednesday. High temperatures Tuesday will already be close to record-breaking, with confidence of actually breaking records increasing Wednesday onward. Breezy to gusty afternoon winds of 20 to 35 mph in the Snake Basin east of Boise today and Tuesday are worth noting, along with a 5 to 10% chance of rain showers across northern zones Tuesday morning and afternoon…