402
FXUS65 KPIH 242232
AFDPIH
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE POCATELLO ID
432 PM MDT TUE MAR 24 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- BREEZY CONDITIONS WITH SOME BLOWING DUST THROUGH THURSDAY
- WARMER TEMPERATURES WITH 70S RETURNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY
- POTENTIAL PATTERN CHANGING COMING NEXT WEEK
DISCUSSION
ISSUED AT 1201 PM MDT TUE MAR 24 2026
WINDS WILL BE THE MAIN STORY THROUGH THURSDAY, AS LOW PRESSURE
RACES BY TO OUR NORTH. WE WILL LIKELY SEE A FEW SHOWERS ACROSS
PORTIONS OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AND EASTERN HIGHLANDS, BUT
PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS WILL BE VERY LOW. WINDS ARE PICKING UP
THROUGH THIS EVENING, PUSHING 35-45 MPH ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE
UPPER SNAKE PLAIN, PORTIONS OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS (INCLUDING
THE CHALLIS, PAHSIMEROI, AND LOST RIVER VALLEYS), AND THE
BENCHES BETWEEN REXBURG AND ST. ANTHONY. WITH PLOWING SEASON IN
FULL SWING, SOME BLOWING DUST IS EXPECTED. WE OPTED FOR NO
WIND-RELATED HEADLINES TODAY, BUT THAT COULD CHANGE THROUGH THE
AFTERNOON. THERE IS A 30% OR HIGHER CHANCE OF EXCEEDING 45 MPH
IN THOSE AREAS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. TOMORROW LOOKS LIKE
THE DAY WITH THE STRONGEST WINDS. GUSTS OF 25-35 MPH ARE LIKELY
AREAWIDE, WITH STRONGER WINDS ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE CENTRAL
MOUNTAINS, EASTERN HIGHLANDS, AND UPPER END OF THE SNAKE PLAIN.
GUSTS OF 35-55 MPH ARE EXPECTED ACROSS LOWER ELEVATIONS WITH
SOME RIDGELINE WINDS IN THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS TOPPING OUT AROUND
60 MPH. DUE TO THE HIGHER LIKELIHOOD OF REACHING WIND ADVISORY
THRESHOLDS, WE DID ISSUE THOSE HEADLINES FOR THE UPPER SNAKE
PLAIN, LOST RIVER/CHALLIS/PAHSIMEROI VALLEYS, AND THE HIGHLANDS
INCLUDING MONIDA PASS WESTWARD. BLOWING DUST POTENTIAL IS ALSO
HIGHER TOMORROW. THERE IS A 60%+ CHANCE OF SEEING GUSTS OVER 45
MPH AND A 20-60% CHANCE OF EXCEEDING 55 MPH AT LOWER ELEVATIONS. STRONGER
WINDS CONTINUE WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY. WE MAY NEED
ANOTHER SET OF HEADLINES FOR THE LOWER SNAKE PLAIN, MAGIC VALLEY
AND THE SOUTH HILLS DEPENDING ON HOW QUICKLY THE FRONT SWINGS
THROUGH TOMORROW NIGHT AND THURSDAY. RIGHT NOW, THE BLEND OF
MODELS IS SHOWING A 20-70% CHANCE (ELEVATION DEPENDENT) OF
EXCEEDING 45 MPH AND 10-40% CHANCE OF STRONGER THAN 55 MPH.
THE REST OF THE FORECAST IS A BIT OF A ROLLER COASTER RIDE.
TEMPERATURES RUSH BACK INTO THE 60S AND 70S THROUGH TOMORROW. WE
WILL BE FLIRTING OR TYING RECORDS AT OUR MAIN CLIMATE SITES BOTH
DAYS. BEHIND THE FRONT ON THURSDAY, HIGHS DROP BACK INTO THE 50S
AT LOWER ELEVATIONS...WHICH IS STILL AT OR JUST ABOVE AVERAGE.
HIGHS QUICKLY REBOUND INTO THE 60S AND 70S THROUGH THE WEEKEND,
WHICH MORE RECORD HIGHS POTENTIALLY IN JEOPARDY. EARLY NEXT
WEEK, LOOKS LIKE WE MAY SWITCH FROM AN HIGH-PRESSURE DOMINANT
PATTERN TO LOW-PRESSURE DOMINANT PATTERN ACROSS THE WEST. THE
CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION INCREASES STARTING MONDAY.
AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z THURSDAY/
ISSUED AT 429 PM MDT TUE MAR 24 2026
MAIN IMPACTS THROUGH WEDNESDAY WILL REMAIN WINDS. VFR CONDITIONS
WILL BE WIDESPREAD WITH CLOUDS CLEARING OUT TONIGHT AT THE
SITES. EXPECT THE 10 TO 20 KNOT WINDS AT IDA AND PIH TO DIMINISH
AFTER 02Z. WILL BE SIMILAR CONDITIONS WEDNESDAY WITH WINDS
INCREASING AFTER 17Z WITH 15 TO 20 KNOT SUSTAINED WINDS AT PIH,
IDA AND DIJ WITH GUSTS 30 TO 35 KNOTS. GENERALLY 10 TO 15 KNOTS
SUSTAINED AT SUN AND BYI WITH GUSTS AROUND 20 KNOTS. EXPECT ONLY
HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS ON WEDNESDAY AT ALL SITES.
PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
WIND ADVISORY FROM 9 AM TO 9 PM MDT WEDNESDAY FOR IDZ052-053-
067-068-070.
DISCUSSION...KEYES
AVIATION...GK
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