July 2020 Climate

The temperature, when averaged across the area, was slightly above normal. The greatest departures were at Baker City (+3.5 degrees), McCall (+2.5 degrees), and Rome (+2.1 degrees).
July 2020 temperature
Precipitation was below normal nearly everywhere. July is one of the two driest months of the year (the other being August), so dry is actually normal.
July 2020 precipitation
During most of the month, upper-level low pressure troughs moving inland over western Canada would play a role in our weather, as they vied for dominance with the very warm seasonal upper-level high pressure ridge over the southwest U.S.

Precipitation is usually associated with troughs, but during July they produced little if any rain south of the Canadian border, bringing only brief periods of slightly cooler weather.

Between troughs, the high pressure ridge to our south made its presence felt as it expanded northward.

Increasing amounts of monsoon moisture circulating within the ridge eventually managed to reach our area on the 22nd and 23rd, and again on the 27th and 28th, carried north ahead of weak low pressure troughs over California.

On the 23rd, thunderstorms brought locally strong gusty winds. At Rome, numerous tree branches were blown down and garbage cans were knocked over. A gust of 64 mph was measured 21 miles north of Murphy Hot Springs. Numerous other locations reported gusts in excess of 50 mph.

On the evening of the 28th, thunderstorms crossed the Owyhee Mountains, bringing spotty but locally heavy showers to the Boise area.

The ridge made a major northward expansion on the 30th and 31st, bringing the hottest weather of the summer.

At Baker City on the 30th, the high temperature of 101 tied the daily record set in 2003. And the 105 on the 31st set a new record for the date.

On the 31st at Burns, the high of 99 tied the record set in 1949. At Ontario, the high of 107 tied the record set in 1971.


Pocatello tied their all time record high temperature of 104 degrees as well.