Alert archive / Idaho / Flash Flood Warnings in 2026

Flash Flood Warning 13, NWS Boise, ID

September 18, 2026Boise County, Idaho

NWS Boise, ID issued this flash flood warning at Sep 18, 2026, 5:47 PM MDT for Boise County, Idaho. It was in force for 118 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Sep 18, 2026, 5:47 PM MDT (23:47 UTC)
Expired
Sep 18, 2026, 7:45 PM MDT
In force
118 min
Issued by
NWS Boise, ID
Area
Storm-based polygon
Damage threat
Considerable
Flood severity
None

County Boise County, ID

The radar

The Boise radar (KCBX), 114 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:46 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this flash flood warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The text

As transmitted.

192 
WGUS55 KBOI 182347
FFWBOI
IDC015-190215-
/O.NEW.KBOI.FF.W.0013.260918T2347Z-260919T0215Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Boise ID
547 PM MDT Fri Sep 18 2026

The National Weather Service in Boise has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  The Wapiti Burn Area in...
  Northeastern Boise County in southwestern Idaho...

* Until 815 PM MDT.

* At 547 PM MDT, emergency management reported thunderstorms
  producing heavy rain over the Wapiti Burn Area. Flash flooding is
  ongoing or expected to begin shortly. Excessive rainfall over the
  burn scar will result in debris flow moving through the High
  Drainage Test. The debris flow can consist of rock, mud, vegetation
  and other loose materials.

  HAZARD...Life threatening flash flooding and debris flows in and
           around the Wapiti Fire Burn Scar.

  SOURCE...Emergency management reported debris on Idaho State
           Highway 21 between mileposts 103 and 105.

  IMPACT...Life threatening flash flooding and debris flows in and
           around the Wapiti Fire Burn Scar will impact Grandjean
           Road and Highway 21 from east of Lowman to Banner Summit.

* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Grandjean.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

This is a life threatening situation. Heavy rainfall will cause
extensive and severe flash flooding of creeks...streams...and ditches
in the Wapiti Burn Area. Severe debris flows can also be anticipated
across roads. Roads and driveways may be washed away in places. If
you encounter flood waters...climb to safety.

&&

LAT...LON 4425 11532 4428 11533 4432 11529 4429 11524
      4431 11522 4428 11520 4429 11517 4420 11517
      4419 11513 4415 11508 4416 11506 4412 11507
      4411 11504 4409 11504 4406 11514 4410 11517
      4409 11524 4414 11531 4414 11536 4416 11537

FLASH FLOOD...OBSERVED
FLASH FLOOD DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE

$$

LC
1 follow-up statement
054 
WGUS75 KBOI 190145
FFSBOI

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Boise ID
745 PM MDT Fri Sep 18 2026

IDC015-190155-
/O.CAN.KBOI.FF.W.0013.000000T0000Z-260919T0215Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Boise ID-
745 PM MDT Fri Sep 18 2026

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR THE WAPITI BURN AREA IS CANCELLED FOR
NORTHEASTERN BOISE COUNTY...

The heavy rain has ended. Flooding is no longer expected to pose a
threat. As of 735 PM MDT Idaho State Comms reports that mud and rocks
on Idaho Highway 21 between mileposts 103 and 105 have been cleared
from the roadway.  Please continue to heed remaining road closures.

A Flash Flood Watch remains in effect until 1200 AM MDT for portions
of south central and southwest Idaho.

&&

LAT...LON 4432 11529 4429 11524 4431 11522 4428 11520
      4428 11517 4420 11517 4419 11513 4415 11508
      4416 11506 4412 11507 4411 11504 4409 11504
      4406 11514 4410 11517 4409 11524 4414 11531
      4414 11536 4416 11537 4425 11532 4428 11533

$$

LC

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Boise, ID wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood warning went out at Sep 18, 2:17 PM MDT, 3 hours 30 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Numerous showers, isolated-to-scattered thunderstorms, and cooler temperatures today. Strongest thunderstorms in central Idaho with gusty outflow winds, hail, and brief heavy rain.
  • Showers and thunderstorms continue tonight and tomorrow over the central Idaho mountains.
  • Gradual warming and drying trend beginning Saturday and continuing through early next week.
Area forecast discussion, Sep 18, 2:17 PM MDT, 3 hours 30 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Boise ID
217 PM MDT Fri Sep 18 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...
- Numerous showers, isolated-to-scattered thunderstorms, and
  cooler temperatures today. Strongest thunderstorms in central
  Idaho with gusty outflow winds, hail, and brief heavy rain.

- Showers and thunderstorms continue tonight and tomorrow over
  the central Idaho mountains.

- Gradual warming and drying trend beginning Saturday and
  continuing through early next week.

&&

.SHORT TERM /Through Sunday Night/...
Currently, the upper-level low pressure system is moving
directly overhead as of 1400 MDT, causing numerous showers and
isolated- to- scattered thunderstorms over southwest Idaho.
Concern has increased through the day as we have been observing
these cells, with QPE totals (over 2+ inches SE of Glenns Ferry,
small area of 3+ inches) instigated by training thunderstorms
causing the issuance of a Flood and Flash Flood products. The
watch is of particular concern for the Boise mountains, with
extra attention on a few burn scars in the area. Isolated
thunderstorms are also ongoing over southern Malheur County and
moving into northwest Baker County. While burn scars over SE
Oregon could also see impacts from these thunderstorms,
confidence is not as high as of this forecast issuance.

These areas of showers and thunderstorms are expected to
continue through the afternoon into evening for both SE Oregon
and SW Idaho. Thunderstorms will be capable of producing gusty
winds up to 40 mph, small hail, and brief heavy rain. Abundant
lightning is also likely, with rainfall totals varying heavily
dependent on where the thunderstorm cores move over. Once late
evening rolls around, coverage will decrease greatly compared to
the afternoon, becoming largely confined to the Boise and west-
central ID mountains. While overall coverage wanes tonight,
showers and thunderstorms are expected to continue through
Saturday afternoon as moisture wraps around the eastward moving
low pressure center. Confidence of showers is high (30-50%
chance), but confidence in thunderstorms is low (10-15% chance).
Fog is likely in the late overnight to early morning periods
tonight and Saturday night, especially in areas where there was
a lot of rainfall.

Behind the low, high pressure returns as a ridge axis moves
over the region, leading to warming conditions late Saturday and
through Sunday. Temperatures warm up to about 5 degrees above
normal by Sunday.

&&

.LONG TERM /Monday through Friday/...
An upper level ridge over the Intermountain West and Rocky Mountains
will remain the dominate weather feature through the extended
period. Early in the week on Monday and Tuesday, the region will sit
under a modest northwesterly flow. Dynamics will favor development
of showers in Central and Eastern Idaho Monday and Tuesday
afternoons. The chance of precipitation each afternoon is only 10%.
Otherwise, that zonal flow to the north moderates temperatures,
holding them steady at 5 degrees above normal for most of the long
term. Upper level ridge amplifies to the east as a strong Alaskan
low pressure system approaches the Pacific Northwest. This will
bring well above normal temperatures for Thursday and Friday.
Temperatures look to run at least 5 to 10 degrees above seasonal
normals. That would mean temperatures in the upper 80s to low 90s in
the lower valleys.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z Friday through Saturday/...
Issued 1138 AM MDT FRI SEP 18 2026
VFR in eastern Oregon. Mainly VFR in southwest Idaho with
occasional MVFR through early Sat/AM amidst scattered to
widespread showers and isolated thunderstorms. Storms this
afternoon could produce outflows gusts up to 35 kt. Surface
winds outside of storms: W-NW 5-15 kt with gusts to 20-25 kt
Fri/PM. Winds aloft at 10kft MSL: NW-N 5-15 kt.

KBOI...Mainly VFR. Showers developing N and E of KBOI this
afternoon. Highest chances for showers over terminal will be
late Fri evening, with brief MVFR possible. 10% chance of
lightning at the terminal. Clearing early Sat morning with SCT
clouds and light winds. Surface winds: NW 5-15 kt.

Weekend Outlook...Brief MVFR and mountain obscuration in lingering
showers near KTWF-KJER on Saturday, with showers tapering off by
midday. Expect VFR conditions otherwise through Sunday with variable
winds less than 10 kt overnight and in high terrain and NW 5-15 kt
in valleys during the afternoon.

&&

.BOI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
ID...Flash Flood Watch until midnight MDT tonight for IDZ013-028.
OR...None.

&&

www.weather.gov/Boise

Interact with us via social media:
www.facebook.com/NWSBoise
www.x.com/NWSBoise

SHORT TERM...CH
LONG TERM....JDS
AVIATION.....JR

The office that day

Everything else NWS Boise, ID issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 18, 9:18 AM MDTSpecial Weather StatementBOIGooding27 min
Sep 18, 9:50 AM MDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBOIElmore, Gooding, Owyhee, Twin Falls5 hr
Sep 18, 10:50 AM MDTFlash Flood WatchBOIAda, Adams, Boise, Camas, Canyon, Elmore and 8 more13 hr
Sep 18, 11:49 AM MDTFlash Flood WarningBOIElmore2 hr
Sep 18, 5:21 PM MDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatBOIBoise2 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Idaho, 2026Every flash flood warning in 2026

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.