It usually doesn’t happen until December – and some years not much at all – but Boise’s inversion is back. For the past few days, the Boise valley has been shrouded under a thick, grayish fog, held in under an inversion that’s trapped cold, damp, polluted air in the valley below while mountains above preen under 60-degree weather and sunshine.

Right now, it’s in the mid-30s in Boise, while up above town at Bogus Basin Ski Resort, it’s 50 degrees, a few light clouds are floating around and a thin layer of snow is sparkling in slanting sunlight. (See a picture from Bogus.)

Boise’s winter inversions usually happen later, when valley residents can escape to the mountain to ski and breathe fresh air. Right now, there’s not enough snow in the mountains for that – and it’s too warm. Burrr.

Forecasters say Boise will stay under the fog, with some relief when it lifts a bit in the afternoons, until a new weather system breaks up the inversion next weekend.

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