620
FXUS65 KPIH 170643
AFDPIH
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE POCATELLO ID
1243 AM MDT FRI APR 17 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- WIDESPREAD HARD FREEZE: SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE
EXPECTED AGAIN THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING, AND A FREEZE WARNING
IS IN EFFECT TO PROTECT VULNERABLE VEGETATION.
- TRANSITION TO DRY WEATHER: LINGERING SNOW SHOWERS WILL TAPER
OFF THIS MORNING, THOUGH ISOLATED ACTIVITY REMAINS POSSIBLE
THIS AFTERNOON BEFORE HIGH PRESSURE TAKES HOLD.
- SIGNIFICANT WARMING TREND: TEMPERATURES WILL CLIMB FROM
SEASONAL LEVELS ON SATURDAY TO WELL ABOVE NORMAL BY SUNDAY,
WITH WIDESPREAD 70S EXPECTED EARLY NEXT WEEK.
- MID-WEEK PRECIP POTENTIAL: DRY CONDITIONS PERSIST THROUGH THE
WEEKEND INTO TUESDAY, WITH THE NEXT WEATHER SYSTEM LIKELY
BRINGING RAIN TO ELEVATIONS BELOW 7,000 FEET BY WEDNESDAY.
DISCUSSION
ISSUED AT 1240 AM MDT FRI APR 17 2026
THE BULK OF THE RECENT PRECIPITATION HAS EXITED THE REGION,
THOUGH SOME LINGERING SNOW SHOWERS CONTINUE THIS MORNING. THESE
ARE EXPECTED TO TAPER OFF OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS, BUT THE
FORECAST REMAINS SLIGHTLY UNSETTLED THROUGH THE AFTERNOON.
EASTERN IDAHO CURRENTLY RESIDES ON THE WESTERN EDGE OF A
DEPARTING UPPER-LEVEL TROUGH; AS A LOBE OF ENERGY SWINGS THROUGH
THE AREA LATER TODAY, WE MAY SEE ADDITIONAL ISOLATED TO
SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS BEFORE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN EARNEST
TONIGHT.
THE PRIMARY CONCERN FOR THE NEXT 24 TO 48 HOURS REMAINS THE
UNSEASONABLY COLD TEMPERATURES. A WIDESPREAD HARD FREEZE IS
OCCURRING THIS MORNING, AND ANOTHER IS EXPECTED TONIGHT INTO
SATURDAY MORNING. CONSEQUENTLY, AN ADDITIONAL FREEZE WARNING HAS
BEEN ISSUED FOR SATURDAY MORNING. WHILE TEMPERATURES TOMORROW
MORNING MAY TREND A FEW DEGREES WARMER THAN TODAY, THEY WILL
STILL BE LOW ENOUGH TO CONSTITUTE A WIDESPREAD HARD FREEZE,
POSING A CONTINUED RISK TO EARLY-SEASON GROWTH.
RELIEF ARRIVES QUICKLY AS WE HEAD INTO THE WEEKEND, WITH STRONG
HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING OVER THE REGION TO ENSURE DRY
CONDITIONS. SATURDAY WILL FEATURE MORE SEASONAL TEMPERATURES,
WHICH WILL SERVE AS A BRIDGE TO A MUCH WARMER REGIME. BY SUNDAY
AND CONTINUING INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK, READINGS WILL CLIMB WELL
ABOVE NORMAL, WITH WIDESPREAD HIGHS IN THE 70S ANTICIPATED.
DRY WEATHER SHOULD PREVAIL FROM SATURDAY THROUGH THE FIRST HALF
OF TUESDAY. PRECIPITATION IS PROGGED TO RETURN AS EARLY AS LATE
TUESDAY, THOUGH WEDNESDAY CURRENTLY LOOKS MORE LIKELY AS THE
NEXT UPPER-LEVEL TROUGH APPROACHES THE INTERMOUNTAIN WEST. THIS
UPCOMING SYSTEM APPEARS SIGNIFICANTLY WARMER THAN ITS
PREDECESSOR, SUGGESTING THAT PRECIPITATION WILL REMAIN MOSTLY
RAIN FOR LOCATIONS BELOW 7,000 FEET. HOWEVER, IT IS IMPORTANT TO
NOTE THAT FORECAST CONFIDENCE IN THE DETAILS REMAINS LOW, AS
GLOBAL MODELS HAVE STRUGGLED FOR SEVERAL DAYS WITH THE EXACT
TIMING AND EVOLUTION OF THIS MID-WEEK DISTURBANCE.
AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z SATURDAY/
ISSUED AT 929 PM MDT THU APR 16 2026
SHOWERS ARE BEGINNING TO END ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA. A FEW
COULD LINGER AROUND DIJ. EXPECT A FEW SHOWERS TO REDEVELOP
MAINLY AROUND IDA AND DIJ TOMORROW AFTERNOON ALTHOUGH NOT ALL
MODELS ARE IN AGREEMENT ON THAT, SO MENTIONING A PROB30 IN THOSE
AREAS FOR NOW.
PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
FREEZE WARNING UNTIL 10 AM MDT THIS MORNING FOR IDZ051>055.
FREEZE WARNING FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 10 AM MDT SATURDAY FOR
IDZ051>055.
DISCUSSION...MCKAUGHAN
AVIATION...13
CLICK HERE TO GO TO PREVIOUS BULLETINS.
Main Text Page