Tracking a chilly start today then storm moving in tonight and unsettled Labor Day weekend

Seasonal temps with more scattered showers moving in for tonight as we count down into September and then Labor Day weekend.  We start the week with chilly temps this morning and then take those jackets off in the afternoon because temps jump 40 degrees today.  Upper 30's to low 40's this morning for back to school and then by 4pm we're are right where we should be for this time of year with highs in the 80s today.  Winds and storm chances push in tonight and then we prep for some quick hit n miss showers into Tuesday. 50% chacne of rain tonight.  Another area of unsettle weather approaches from the Canadian border and gives us a dose of cooler air and moisture creating some chances of showers into the week and even snow caps for the central mountains.  Highs in the 70s and 80s and very seasonal but a definite pattern shift for us. 

JEFF ROPER — FIRST ALERT WEATHER

It may not feel like it when you walk out the door this morning, but we are still going to squeeze one more very summer-like afternoon out of August.

We start chilly this morning with temperatures in the upper 30s and low 40s — definitely a jacket morning for back-to-school drop-off — but don't get too attached to that jacket. By this afternoon, temperatures make a huge jump, climbing roughly 40 degrees into the low and mid 80s.

So you've got the classic Eastern Idaho temperature roller coaster today: jacket before breakfast, short sleeves by lunch.

The bigger story is what happens after sunset.

Clouds increase tonight as moisture and instability move into the region, bringing a 50 to 60 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms overnight, with the better chances coming during the late-night and early-morning hours. The National Weather Service is also showing a chance of rain into Tuesday morning before we get some breaks of sunshine later in the day.

And this isn't just a one-night blip.

We're beginning to see a real pattern change as we count down to September.

A disturbance dropping south out of western Canada will help usher cooler air into the northern Rockies. Think of it as the atmosphere finally opening the door to Canada and saying, “Okay, summer… you've had your turn.”

That doesn't mean winter is arriving — far from it. But the persistent heat we've been dealing with starts giving way to something much more seasonal: 70s and 80s in the valleys, cooler mornings, more clouds and occasional showers.

And up in the mountains, the atmosphere will be cold enough that we're starting to talk about fresh snow on some of the higher peaks as colder air moves in. Don't panic — we're talking mountain tops, not your backyard.

For Tuesday, expect a little bit of everything: a few showers early, some sunshine trying to break through later, breezy pockets, and temperatures still near 80. Then we'll gradually settle into a cooler, more comfortable early-September pattern.

THE LIFESTYLE TAKE

So here's your Labor Day-weekend transition:

The mornings are getting darker.
The jackets are coming back.
The afternoons are still warm.
The mountains are getting their first taste of fall.

It's that weird stretch of Eastern Idaho weather where you can have frosty-looking mornings, 80-degree afternoons and snow on a mountain peak — all on the same day.

If you're headed out for an early morning walk, back-to-school drop-off or working outside, grab the jacket.

If you're mowing the lawn, golfing, running errands or getting outside this afternoon, you'll probably be peeling it off by lunchtime.

And if you're camping this week, prepare for the overnight change. Those chilly mornings are going to become a bigger part of the forecast as we move deeper into September.

Bottom line: August is going out with some summer warmth, but September is already knocking on the door.

A few showers tonight, more hit-and-miss rain Tuesday, cooler air filtering in from the north, and a much more seasonal feel taking over the forecast.

Highs today in the 80s.
Showers and storms tonight.
More scattered showers Tuesday.
Then temperatures settle into the 70s and 80s with cooler mornings — and maybe even a little fresh snow decorating the highest peaks.

That's your First Alert Weather.

I'm Jeff Roper.

Jeff Roper, First Alert Weather