page_title: Environment of Idaho
section_title: Climate change
hierarchical_section_title: Environment of Idaho / Climate change
context_page_description: The environment of Idaho is rich in ecological diversity. Major forest ecosystems include grand fir-Douglas fir forest, cedar-hemlock-pine forest, Douglas fir forest, western ponderosa pine forest, and western spruce-fir forest. While the northern part of the state is dominated by forests, most of the southern part of the state is covered by sagebrush steppe, interspersed with islands of desert and saltbush-greasewood shrublands.
  Many areas in the state are nearly pristine and include some of the largest areas in the United States without paved roads.
  Significant fish resources include salmon and steelhead.
context_section_description: Over the last century, the average temperature near Boise, Idaho, has increased nearly 1°F, and precipitation has increased by nearly 20% in many parts of the state, and has declined in other parts of the state by more than 10%. These past trends may or may not continue into the future.
  Over the next century, climate in Idaho may experience additional changes. For example, based on projections made by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and results from the United Kingdom Hadley Centre’s climate model (HadCM2), a model that accounts for both greenhouse gases and aerosols, by 2100 temperatures in Idaho could increase by 5°F (with a range of 2-9°F) in winter and summer and 4°F (with a range of 2-7°F) in spring and fall. Precipitation is estimated to change little in summer, to increase by 10% in spring and fall (with a range of 5-20%), and to increase by 20% in winter (with a range of 10-40%). Other climate models may show different results, especially regarding estimated changes in precipitation. The impacts described in the sections that follow take into account estimates from different models. The amount of precipitation on extreme wet or snowy days in winter is likely to increase. The frequency of extreme hot days in summer would increase because of the general warming trend. It is not clear how the severity of storms might be affected, although an increase in the frequency and intensity of winter storms is possible.
caption: Riparian area in Blaine County, Idaho
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