What are the warmest places in Idaho? This is the question I have been asking myself since the last time I visited this great city.
Idaho is primarily known for its potato production and is also known as “The Gem State” due to its abundant supply of gems.
But wait, there’s more. Idaho also has a diverse range of scenery and wildlife.
In this post, I’ve compiled a list of the ten warmest places in Idaho, ranked by daily mean temperature.
The distinctions between these cities are minor.
Nonetheless, their average temperature is substantially higher than the national average (46.74°F).
Eastern Idaho is not among the top ten because it is significantly colder than the western and southern parts of the state.
Let’s dive straight into it.
What are the warmest Places in Idaho? 10 Warmest Towns in Idaho
Before going into the list of the warmest places in Idaho, let’s have a brief overview of the climate of Idaho.
Climate of Idaho
Idaho is one of the coldest states in the country, with an average daily high temperature of only 15 degrees.
The climate is diverse, with harsh winters and pleasant summers.
The mountainous geography of Idaho results in an extraordinarily diversified climate pattern.
Precipitation increases and mean temperatures decrease as elevation increases.
On a smaller scale, the high mountains in eastern Idaho tend to hold back the cold winter air that dominates in Montana and Wyoming, providing the state greater mean temperatures than those states and more mid-continental regions at the same latitude and elevation.
10 Warmest Places in Idaho
Lewiston (53.75°F)
Lewiston is the warmest place in Idaho.
It is the second biggest city in northern Idaho and the ninth largest city in the state overall.
Lewiston shares a border with Washington.
It has a semi-arid environment with hot, dry summers (average highs of 90-93 degrees Fahrenheit) and short, cold winters (average highs of 41-42 degrees Fahrenheit in the coldest month).
It has the highest yearly average temperature of any of the major Idaho cities featured in this article.
The difference is minor when compared to Boise, Idaho’s second warmest city. If you want the warmest weather, both places are fantastic choices.
Boise (53.15°F)
Boise is the second warmest place in Idaho.
The city of Boise is the capital of the state of Idaho.
Boise, located in Southwest Idaho’s Treasure Valley, has weather comparable to Lewiston, with slightly cooler winters (by 3 degrees) and slightly hotter summers (by 1-2 degrees).
Meridian, Idaho’s second largest city, is just marginally cooler than Boise.
In comparison to other larger towns in the state, Boise has a yearly average temperature that is 2.65 degrees Fahrenheit higher than Nampa and 8.95 degrees Fahrenheit higher than Idaho Falls (Idaho Falls is one of the coldest places in the state).
Aside from having some of the warmest weather in the state, Boise is also one of the sunniest cities in the country, with about 3,000 hours of sunshine every year.
Meridian (52.5°F)
Meridian is the third hottest place in Idaho.
Because of their proximity, these two cities have nearly identical climates. Meridian has somewhat lower temps all year.
However, because the climatic data comes from two separate sources, the variation in actuality may be negligible.
Summers in Meridian are short, hot, dry, and mainly clear, while winters are bitterly cold, snowy, and partially cloudy.
Throughout the year, the temperature ranges from 23°F to 92°F, with temperatures rarely falling below 9°F or rising beyond 100°F.
Glenns Ferry (52.15°F)
Glenns Ferry is the fourth warmest place in Idaho.
The city of Glenns Ferry is a small community with a population of 1,300 people located 70 miles southeast of Boise.
While the town gets significantly warmer days in the winter, it has much cooler nights.
Summers in Glenns Ferry are hot, arid, and mainly clear, while winters are bitterly cold, snowy, and partially cloudy.
Throughout the year, the temperature normally ranges from 24°F to 95°F, with temperatures rarely falling below 10°F or rising over 103°F.
Caldwell (52.05°F)
Caldwell Idaho is the fifth warmest place in Idaho.
The city of Caldwell is the fifth most populous city, located about 28 miles west of Boise.
Its weather is similar to that of Boise, with the main apparent distinction being slightly cooler winters, with average highs in the coldest month of 37-38 °F compared to 39 °F in Boise.
Summers in Caldwell are hot, dry, and mainly clear, while winters are bitterly cold, snowy, and partially cloudy.
Throughout the year, the temperature ranges from 23°F to 92°F, with temperatures rarely falling below 8°F or rising beyond 100°F.
Weiser (51.8°F)
The city of Weiser is the sixth warmest place in Idaho.
Weiser is a community of around 5,500 people located 71 miles northwest of Boise on the Oregon border.
Its winters are substantially colder than those in Boise, with temperatures averaging 35-36 °F (3-4 degrees colder).
Summers in Weiser are hot, dry, and mostly clear, while winters are cold, snowy, and partially cloudy.
Throughout the year, the temperature ranges from 21°F to 92°F, with temperatures rarely falling below 6°F or rising beyond 100°F.
Emmett (51.6°F)
The town of Emmett is the seventh warmest place in Idaho.
Emmett, about 30 miles northwest of Boise, is another tiny town near to the metropolis.
Emmett is a town of 7,000 inhabitants.
It has a climate that is somewhat warmer in the winter than Weiser and slightly cooler in the summer than both Weiser and Boise.
Summers in Emmett are hot, dry, and mainly clear, while winters are cold, snowy, and partially cloudy.
The temperature normally ranges from 22°F to 92°F throughout the year, rarely falling below 7°F or rising over 99°F.
Orofino (50.95°F)
The warmest city in this ranking is Orofino, which is located in northern Idaho.
It’s only 43 kilometers away from Lewiston.
Orofino receives twice as much precipitation as Lewiston, as well as significantly more snow.
Winter daytime temperatures are around 3 degrees colder than in Lewiston, while summer temperatures are roughly 2 degrees lower.
The months of June, September, and May are the most pleasant in Orofino, while December and January are the least pleasant.
Orofino has 166 sunshine days per year on average.
The average number of sunny days in the United States is 205.
Kamiah (50.95°F)
Kamiah is the ninth warmest place in Idaho.
The city of Kamiah is approximately 23 miles south of Orofino.
While the yearly daily mean temperature for both areas is the same, Kamiah enjoys slightly warmer daytime temps in winter and hotter summers.
Average lows (night-time temperatures) in spring and fall are lower in Kamiah.
Summers in Kamiah are short, warm, dry, and mainly clear, whereas winters are bitterly cold, snowy, and mostly cloudy.
Throughout the year, the temperature normally ranges from 28°F to 88°F, with temperatures rarely falling below 15°F or rising over 96°F.
Nampa (50.5°F)
For the final city in my ranking, I return to southern Idaho and another city near Boise.
Nampa is around 20 miles west of Boise, and Meridian is roughly half the distance between the two cities.
Nampa has slightly cooler temperatures than Boise, especially during the winter.
Despite ranking tenth on this list, Nampa is 12.5 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the coldest city in Idaho, Sun Valley.
Summers in Nampa are short, hot, dry, and mainly clear, while winters are bitterly cold, snowy, and partially cloudy.
Throughout the year, the temperature ranges from 23°F to 92°F, with temperatures rarely falling below 8°F or rising beyond 100°F.
Final Thoughts on the Question: What are the Warmest Places in Idaho?
What are the warmest places in Idaho?
The warmest places in this cold state include Lewiston, Boise, Meridian, Glenns Ferry, Caldwell, Weiser, Emmett, Orofino, Kamiah and Nampa.
Idaho is famous for potato production, gems and has a variety of wildlife sanctuaries that can provide a unique holiday experience.
If you’re not sure about your next holiday destination, consider visiting one of the warmest places in Idaho!
Frequently Asked Questions
Lewiston has the highest daily mean temperature in Idaho, at 53.75 degrees Fahrenheit, making it the warmest city in Idaho, with Boise coming in second at 53.15 degrees Fahrenheit.
Lewiston has the warmest winter days in Idaho, with temperatures averaging 41-42 degrees Fahrenheit.
Glenns Ferry, Boise, Caldwell, Nampa, and Meridian are among the sunniest cities in Idaho. Up to 70% of the time it is sunny.
Idaho is ideal for those who love four distinct seasons as well as reasonably dry weather. Even in the warmest parts of the state, snow falls (albeit considerably less than in the coldest). Summers, on the other hand, are hot and dry. If that’s your idea of perfect weather, you’ll love living in Idaho.
