History of the Boise National Weather Service Office
(1864-2009)

1864-1877

On February 1st, 1864, Fort Boise Post Surgeon started taking the first meteorological observations. Although the accuracy of this data is still in question because of the instruments available at the time, some of the observations are still used in the climatic record for Boise. 

1877-1888

On July 1, 1877, the weather observations station was moved to the Overland Hotel at 8th and Main Street with the U.S. Army Signal Service placed in charge of daily observations. 

1888-1890

In 1888, the station was moved to the Perrault Building at 7th and Main Street in Boise.

1890

U.S. Congress created the Weather Bureau in the Department of Agriculture, but did not fund a Boise office. The Fort Boise Post Surgeon resumed taking daily observations. 

1898-1905

A Weather Bureau office was opened in the Sonna Building at 9th and Main Street in Boise. Weather observations were moved from Fort Boise to the Sonna Building.

1905-1939

The Weather Bureau moved to the third floor of the Federal Building at 8th and Bannock in 1905. Weather observations were moved from the Sonna Building to the Federal Building.

1931-1939

Weather observations were also taken at Boise's first airport (where Boise State University is located today).

December 19, 1939

The Weather Bureau moved to the current Boise Airport. Weather observations have been taken at the current Boise Airport since December 19, 1939.

January 1948

Upper air soundings (weather balloons) started at the Boise International Airport.

January 1, 1967

Weather Bureau was renamed the National Weather Service, under the Environmental Science Services Administration (ESSA). Fire weather forecasts extended to cover contiguous U.S.

1979

The AFOS (Automation of Field Operations and Services) computer system was deployed connecting weather offices and replacing teletype.

1980s

The radiosonde WBRT-57 system was replaced by the ART-2 system and MicroART computer software run on a IBM XT.

1989

The National Weather Service embarked on a national modernization plan with restructuring of the entire organization.

August, 1993

The National Weather Service Office moved to it's current location on the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) campus.

November, 1993

The first weather radar in Idaho, the advanced WSR-88D Doppler radar, was installed in Boise. This was the 47th 88D installed in a new national network. The WSR-88D Radar in Boise was commissioned in 1994.

December 1, 1995

Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) commissioned at Boise International Airport. Currently, WFO Boise maintains ASOS systems at eight airports in the forecast area.

1999

Modernization of the National Weather Service in Oregon and Idaho was completed. Weather Service Offices (WSO) in Lewiston, Twin Falls and Idaho Falls Idaho and Burns, Oregon were closed. Modernized Weather Forecast Offices (WFO) in Boise, ID, Pocatello, ID, Pendleton, OR, Missoula, MT and Spokane, WA took over forecast responsibilities for Idaho and Eastern Oregon. WFO Boise's forecast area covers southeast Oregon and Southwest Idaho. WFO Pocatello's forecast area covers Eastern and South Central Idaho. WFO Missoula's forecast area covers Central Mountains of Idaho. WFO Spokane's forecast area covers the Idaho Panhandle.

2000

The Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS) was commissioned. It allows assimilation of radar, satellite, surface and upper air observations, and computer model guidance into one workstation.

October 2006

The Radiosonde Replacement System (RRS) was installed at WFO Boise. The new system uses GPS to track the balloon as it rises through atmosphere collecting temperature and wind data.