Longtime Idaho meteorologist to retire

Residents of the Treasure Valley in southwestern Idaho will lose a familiar face on their morning weather reports. Jay Breidenbach, a warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service, is retiring after 32 years in the region.

Breidenbach graduated from Florida State University before moving to Idaho to start a family. Over the past three decades, he has issued forecasts during major local events. These include the Boise River flooding triggered by the snowmelt event known as snowmageddon. He also predicted one of the warmest winters on record for the state last year.

Colleagues from across Idaho gathered on Friday to honor his career. They discussed his contributions to the state's weather monitoring systems. Breidenbach credited his team for the work, noting that he could not have done it without the people he worked alongside for so many years.

The retiring forecaster plans to spend his free time skiing and mountain biking. He said he will still follow the daily forecasts closely. He noted that friends often ask him for current conditions, a habit he expects to continue.

Breidenbach said he first became interested in weather during grade school. He plans to maintain that interest throughout his retirement. He described the forecast as a permanent part of his life.