021
FXUS65 KPIH 211102
AFDPIH
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE POCATELLO ID
502 AM MDT TUE APR 21 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- RETURN TO WINTER WEATHER IN THE HIGH ELEVATIONS. WINTER
WEATHER ADVISORIES FOR PORTIONS OF THE CENTRAL IDAHO MOUNTAINS
AND THE HIGHLANDS BORDERING WYOMING ABOVE 6500FT ELEVATION.
- COLD FRONT ON WEDNESDAY WILL BRING WIND STRONG ENOUGH TO
PRODUCE WIND ADVISORY CRITERIA IN ARCO AND MUD LAKE DESERT.
- RAIN AND OCCASIONAL SNOW POSSIBLE ELSEWHERE STARTING LATE
TONIGHT AND CONTINUING THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT, CHANGING TO
SHOWERY AFTERWARDS.
DISCUSSION
ISSUED AT 206 AM MDT TUE APR 21 2026
TODAY THROUGH THU NIGHT. AN APPROACHING LOW WILL SPREAD SOME
CLOUDS INTO THE REGION TODAY, WHICH SHOULD MAKE AFTERNOON HIGH
TEMPERATURES LEVEL OFF COMPARED TO YESTERDAY, WHICH ARE CLOSE TO
RECORDS BUT LIKELY TO STAY BELOW THAT THRESHOLD. BUT THIS IS THE
LAST OF PLEASANT WEATHER FOR A WHILE AS TROUGHING ALONG THE WEST
COAST WILL BE SWINGING A TROUGH AND ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT
THROUGH CENTRAL AND EASTERN IDAHO STARTING LATE TONIGHT AND
CONTINUING ALL DAY WED AND INTO WED NIGHT. THIS COLD FRONT
BRINGS A THREAT OF THUNDERSTORMS AS WELL. THERE IS LITTLE BREAK
AS ANOTHER LOW, THIS TIME APPROACHING FROM BRITISH COLUMBIA,
DIGS SOUTHWARD AND BRINGS NOT QUITE AS MUCH PRECIPITATION, BUT
WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR ITS COLD AIR. THIS SECOND STORM WILL
FOCUS MORE ON THE EAST AND SOUTHEAST HIGHLANDS.
TEMPERATURES WILL BE GOING THROUGH THE RINGER. THE MIDDLE TO
UPPER 70S TODAY AT LOW ELEVATIONS WILL SEE A CRASH OF 20 TO 35
DEG F TO 45 TO 55 DEG F HIGHS ON WED. ON THU, TEMPERATURES WILL
LONGER ABOUT THE SAME, PLUS OR MINUS A COUPLE OF DEGREES DUE TO
THINNING CLOUDINESS AND MORE SHOWERY PRECIPITATION. OVERNIGHT
LOWS TONIGHT WILL BE MILD DUE TO CLOUD COVER AND THE CONTINUED
SOUTHWEST FLOW BRINGING IN WARMER AIR. ON WED NIGHT TEMPERATURES
WILL GET DOWN TO WITH PLUS OR MINUS A FEW DEGREES OF FREEZING
AGAIN. AS THE SECOND LOW BRINGS IN MORE NORTHERLY AIR FLOW,
OVERNIGHT LOWS CRASH INTO THE 20S IN THE LOWER ELEVATIONS,
ESPECIALLY THE NORTH END OF THE SNAKE RIVER PLAIN.
THE WED COLD FRONT BRINGS A STRONG COLD FRONT, AND THIS MEANS
SOME STRONG WIND. AT THIS TIME, IT APPEARS TO BE LIMITED TO WIND
ADVISORY CRITERIA TO THE ARCO-MUD LAKE DESERT AREA, THOUGH THS
SHOSHONE AND LAVA BEDS WILL BE CLOSE, ALONG WITH A LIMITED AREA
EAST OF IDAHO FALLS HEADING INTO THE NEARBY HIGHLANDS.
FRI THROUGH MON. ALL CLUSTERS FOR ALL DAYS INDICATE THAT THIS
SECOND LOW LINGERS WITH THE TROUGHING STAYING OVER EASTERN
IDAHO. THIS PUTS THE REGION ON THE COLD SIDE OF A SLOW MOVING
LOW, SO DO NOT LOOK FOR A QUICK WARM UP. AFTERNOON HIGHS STAY
MOSTLY IN THE 50S FOR THE HEAVIER POPULATED CITIES, MAYBE
BREAKING 60 BY MON. THE LINGERING TROUGHING MEANS A CHANCE OF
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS, MOSTLY IN THE SLIGHT CHANCE TO CHANCE
CATEGORY FOR ALL OF THESE DAYS. WIND SPEED APPEARS LIGHT TO
MODERATE WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 20 MPH.
AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z WEDNESDAY/
ISSUED AT 456 AM MDT TUE APR 21 2026
THE THREE "VALLEY" AIRDROMES, KBYI, KPIH, AND KIDA, HAVE LITTLE
TO NO CLOUD BELOW FL100, AND ONLY KIDA IS EXPECTING IT TO
CONSTITUTE A CIG. UNRESTRICTED VSBY AS WELL, WITH NO RISK OF
PRECIPITATION. HOWEVER, THE WIND IS A DIFFERENT SITUATION.
EXPECT WIND TO INCREASE AND KPIH AND KIDA WILL REACH THE 20G30KT
MAGNITUDE, AND KBYI 15G25KT.
BOTH KSUN AND KDIJ WILL SPEND MOST OF THE DAY WITH CLOUDS
STAYING ABOVE FL100 WITH OCCASIONAL CIGS. KSUN EXPECTED TO GET
STRONG WIND G30KT AND SHOWERS SHOULD DEVELOP LATE TONIGHT AFTER
22/09Z. KDIJ SHOULD GET SHRA/SHSN IN THE VCNTY THIS EVENING,
WITH AFTERNOON GUSTS ONLY PEAKING AROUND G25KT.
PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
WIND ADVISORY FROM NOON WEDNESDAY TO MIDNIGHT MDT WEDNESDAY
NIGHT FOR IDZ052.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM NOON WEDNESDAY TO MIDNIGHT MDT
THURSDAY NIGHT FOR IDZ060-063-064-066.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 AM MDT
THURSDAY FOR IDZ069-071>074.
DISCUSSION...MESSICK
AVIATION...MESSICK
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