Idaho Travel Forum

Weather report for Thursday 21st please!
Posted: Fri August 22, 2008 02:26 PM UTC

In 9 years time - 21st August, 2017, - there will be a total eclipse of the sun over the middle of the USA and I plan to see it!
I am trying to decide which location to visit for this and Idaho is a strong contender at the moment.
I haven't decided on a town to stay in that day - I guess the geography varies and so I need to know what the weather and cloud conditions are likely to be that day.
Can anyone help?
a) Is Idaho a good choice for the best chance of a clear sky?
b) Which town or place is best avoided or best considered?

Thanks !

tango_jd

10 replies

[Reply]

Re: Weather report for Thursday 21st please!
Posted: Fri August 22, 2008 02:33 PM UTC

Assuming you are not seriously asking for a weather prediction for nine years from now...you can find weather averages for various cities in Idaho at www.weatherunderground.com. Type "Idaho" into the search box, pick your city, and then when you get the report for it you can scroll down to look at "weather history" and "seasonal averages" for that location.

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travelmad478

[Reply]

Re: Weather report for Thursday 21st please!
Posted: Fri August 22, 2008 02:35 PM UTC

If anyone answers your questions, they are more stupid than you.

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virtual786

[Reply]

Re: Weather report for Thursday 21st please!
Posted: Fri August 22, 2008 02:41 PM UTC

Hm, I now see that you asked this question back in May and got exactly the same answer I just gave you, so not sure what you are expecting. There is a map of the eclipse path here: http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2017Aug21Tgoogle.html

You can see the path of totality (the space in between the blue lines on the map). To see a total eclipse you'll have to be in a place along that path. The Google map is a very good way to see what cities/towns it will pass over. Then you can use WeatherUnderground.com to look at the weather history/averages for each location. No matter what, of course it will be a crapshoot, because you cannot predict the weather nine years from now!

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travelmad478

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Re: Weather report for Thursday 21st please!
Posted: Fri August 22, 2008 02:43 PM UTC

virtual786, that was really rather unnecessary and completely rude. As my mother used to say: if you can't say anything nice, keep your mouth shut.

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travelmad478

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Re: Weather report for Thursday 21st please!
Posted: Fri August 22, 2008 04:29 PM UTC

....and fingers calm too Julie.

The path of the Eclipse goes over my old school in Rexburg Idaho. It was Ricks College and is now BYU Idaho. They have a Planetarium. The School won't be busy in August so you may have luck with accomodation in town. There are no bars in the town if that would make your trip more enjoyable, you can buy alcohol outside of the city limits. Idaho Falls is the closest airport. Cloud cover may not be a factor there in August.

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YVRDave

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Re: Weather report for Thursday 21st please!
Posted: Fri August 22, 2008 07:17 PM UTC

Thank you - I am sorry if I did not word my original enquiry in a clear-enough way. Apologies for not seeing the earlier reply mentioned - I had a few problems with my PC around then and was off-line for a few weeks.

I am grateful for the link - I'll do more research now that I have that. I know it is a long way off yet - It occurred to me to ask at this time as it is the same time of year as the eclipse in 2017.

The reason for being so early? Well, I am planning other trips to the US as well and don't want to repeat journeys that will take me to the eventual viewing location.

As for the reply above from Virtual 786 - well, there was no need for that was there? Up yours Pal.
Not the sort of camaraderie I am more used-to.
Still - too much time on his/her hands no doubt.

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tango_jd

[Reply]

Re: Weather report for Thursday 21st please!
Posted: Fri August 22, 2008 10:16 PM UTC

I have been through the area in August and it can be hot, very hot. I would guess that the sky will be as clear as any place in the US; unless there is a major forest fire in the area. Good thing is you are very close to Yellowstone National Park so I would work that in to my travels.

Gotta love somebody who plans vacations almost ten years in advance; and my wife calls be ***!

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Jamesr3939

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Re: Weather report for Thursday 21st please!
Posted: Fri August 22, 2008 10:18 PM UTC

Now, that is very interesting. I did not post my reply with the ****! I guess the computer must read it and make the changes.

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Jamesr3939

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Re: Weather report for Thursday 21st please!
Posted: Fri August 22, 2008 11:41 PM UTC

LOL - I know I am a bit "previous" - I wish I hadn't asked now!
However, IF I travel to the US on holiday (vacation) every 2 years, say, then the next 4 visits or so would need to be elsewhere than the Eclipse trip - hence.....forward planning.

It's the clear skies I need.......

Thanks all - I'll be looking-into this.

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tango_jd

[Reply]

Re: Weather report for Thursday 21st please!
Posted: Tue February 24, 2009 10:04 PM UTC

Yes, Idaho in August has two weather conditions: hot, utterly clear skies, and the rare but short-lived summer thunderstorm. Thanks for bringing this to my attention--my house is in the path of totality.

I would stay away from Nampa and Caldwell, but the rest of Idaho has almost no crime and a lot of very friendly people. (Of course, by 2017, California refugees may have rendered the place unrecognizable.)

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