Idaho ยท season guide
Sledding season in Boise
NOAA's 1991 to 2020 climate normals for the Boise Air Terminal weather station, about 5 miles from the middle of our Boise hill list show November as the first month that averages an inch of snow or more (2 inches). The normals are monthly averages, so they can't give a first-snow date. Some years come early, some late.
December is the snowiest month on average, at 5.6 inches.
Across a normal year the station records about 17.6 inches of snow. That puts Boise at 93 of 98 metros on this site, ranked from snowiest down.
Expect a short window. About 17 days a year have an inch or more of snow on the ground, so the morning after a storm counts.
For comparison, Idaho Falls, the nearest metro on our list, averages 24.8 inches, more than here.
All 10 hills we list here come from local sources rather than the park or city; camel's back park is described as steep.
Month by month
| Month | Average snowfall | Days with 1 inch or more of new snow | Days with 1 inch or more on the ground |
|---|---|---|---|
| October | 0.1 inches | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| November | 2 inches | 0.8 | 1.8 |
| December | 5.6 inches | 1.7 | 5.9 |
| January | 5.3 inches | 1.8 | 6.4 |
| February | 3.3 inches | 1.2 | 2.6 |
| March | 1.2 inches | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| April | 0.1 inches | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, station USW00024131. "Not stated by source" means NOAA publishes no value for that station.
Lit hills
None of the sources we used for Boise mention lights on a sledding hill. Plan on daylight, and see our national lit hills list if you're travelling.
Local rules
We didn't find a city-wide sledding rule for Boise in the sources we checked. Individual parks may post their own signs, and those win.
Short answers
When does it usually start snowing in Boise?
In NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals for the Boise Air Terminal station, November is the first month averaging an inch of snow or more. The normals are monthly averages, not a date.
How much snow does Boise get in a year?
About 17.6 inches a year at the Boise Air Terminal station, per NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals.
Are there lit sledding hills in Boise?
None of the sources we used mention lights. Plan on daylight.
Updated