840
FXUS65 KPIH 221143
AFDPIH
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE POCATELLO ID
543 AM MDT WED APR 22 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF THE
CENTRAL IDAHO MOUNTAINS. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES START AT
NOON TODAY FOR PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHEAST AND EAST HIGHLANDS.
- WIND ADVISORIES GO INTO EFFECT AT NOON TODAY FOR PORTIONS OF
THE SNAKE RIVER PLAIN AND EASTERN MAGIC VALLEY.
- AFTERNOON HIGHS DROP 20 TO 25 DEGREES FROM TUESDAY HIGHS AND
STAY BELOW NORMAL THROUGH MONDAY.
- RAIN AND HIGH ELEVATION SNOW CONTINUES INTO FRIDAY FOR MOST.
DISCUSSION
ISSUED AT 153 AM MDT WED APR 22 2026
TODAY THROUGH FRI NIGHT. MELTED PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS PEAK
DURING THE DAY TODAY AS A COLD FRONT IS PUSHED THROUGH THE
REGION BY AN UPPER LEVEL LOW MOVING THROUGH NORTHEAST OR THAT
ENDS UP IN WESTERN MT BY MID-DAY. A SECOND LOW DROPS SOUTHWARD
OUT OF CANADA AND BRINGS ANOTHER ROUND OF PRECIPITATION FOR THU
WITH ALMOST NO BREAK IN THE PRECIPITATION. THE NORTHWESTERLY
AIR FLOW BEHIND THIS LOW CONTINUES THU NIGHT BUT SHIFTS TO
WESTERLY ON FRI AFTERNOON. BECAUSE OF THE BELOW NORMAL-BUT STILL
WARM-TEMPERATURES, SNOW LEVELS CONTINUE HIGH WITH MODERATE TO
HEAVY ACCUMULATIONS OCCURING SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 6500FT AND 7500FT
ELEVATION, DEPENDING ON HOW FAR SOUTH.
ONE FLY IN THE OINTMENT IS HOW THE PRECIPITATION IS STRONGLY
AFFECTED BY CONVECTION. THERE WILL BE ENOUGH INSTABILITY FOR
THUNDERSTORMS EACH PERIOD IN THIS PORTION OF THE FORECAST.
THIS COLD FRONT IS POWERED BY A LARGE TEMPERATURE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN THE AIR MASSES. A DROP OF 20 TO 25 DEG F WILL OCCUR
BETWEEN TUESDAY AND TODAY. AFTERNOON HIGHS STAY BELOW NORMAL FOR
THE NEXT 6 DAYS, GETTING CLOSER TO NORMAL NEXT TUE. OVERNIGHT
LOWS STAY MILD TONIGHT WITH CLOUD COVER, BUT AS THE COVER THINS
ON THU NIGHT, LOWS DROP INTO THE 20S FOR A WIDESPREAD AREA. THIS
ALSO CONTINUES THROUGH FRI NIGHT, THEN BELOW 38 DEG F FOR SAT
NIGHT. THUS FREEZE AND LATER FROST ADVISORIES MAY BE NEEDED FOR
THE AGRICULTURALLY SENSITIVE AREAS.
SAT THROUGH TUE. CLUSTERS CONTINUE TO KEEP AN UPPER LEVEL LOW
EITHER OVERHEAD OF JUST TO THE EAST OF THE FORECAST AREA. THIS
MEANS THE PRECIPITATION THREAT AND COLDER THAN NORMAL
TEMPERATURES CONTINUE DUE TO CLOUDS AND A NORTHERLY FLOW. BY SAT
A SIGNIFICANT MINORITY OF THE CLUSTERS SHOW A FAR ENOUGH
PROGRESSION EASTWARD FOR THE RISK OF PRECIPITATION TO FALL TO
SLIGHT CHANCE/CHANCE LEVEL AND TEMPERATURES AT LEAST TO WARM
SLIGHTLY, EVEN IF THEY STAY MAINLY IN THE 50S FOR THE HEAVILY
POPULATED AREAS. WIND ALSO IS CONSIDERABLY LESS, WITH BREEZY
CONDITIONS IN THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING.
AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY/
ISSUED AT 423 AM MDT WED APR 22 2026
NOT A GREAT DAY FOR AVIATION. MOSTLY RAIN EXPECTED AT ALL
AIRDROMES WITH KSUN, KBYI, KPIH, AND KIDA ALL TO RISK IFR
CONDITIONS DUE TO CIG, WITH KSUN AT HIGH ENOUGH ELEVATION THAT
SHSN MAY ALSO IMPACT VSBY. KDIJ SHOULD SEE OCCASIONAL SNOW THIS
MORNING, BUT CIG IS EXPECTED TO STAY MARGINAL VFR ALONG WITH
VSBY. THIS WILL CHANGE TONIGHT AFTER 23/06Z FOR KDIJ AS
TEMPERATURES AND SNOW LEVEL FALLS, BUT SNOW WILL BE LIGHT THAT
LATE NIGHT.
THE MAIN FORECAST PROBLEM THOUGH WILL BE WIND. VERY STRONG
SOUTHWEST WIND WILL MEAN A TURBULENT APPROACH WITH G35KT TO
G40KT FOR ALL AIRPORTS EXCEPT KSUN WHERE DOWN VALLEY WIND IN THE
EARLY EVENING WILL PRODUCE G30KT.
PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
WIND ADVISORY FROM NOON TODAY TO MIDNIGHT MDT TONIGHT FOR
IDZ051>054.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM NOON TODAY TO MIDNIGHT MDT
THURSDAY NIGHT FOR IDZ060-063-064-066.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM MDT THURSDAY FOR IDZ069-
071>074.
DISCUSSION...MESSICK
AVIATION...MESSICK
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