347
FXUS65 KPIH 111019
AFDPIH
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE POCATELLO ID
419 AM MDT WED MAR 11 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- HIGH-IMPACT WIND EVENTS FOR THURSDAY AND SATURDAY, ALTHOUGH IT
WILL REMAIN BREEZY OTHER DAYS HEADING THROUGH THE WEEKEND
- LIGHT TO MODERATE PRECIPITATION THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH ANY
APPRECIABLE TOTALS ACROSS THE SAWTOOTHS AND THE EASTERN
HIGHLANDS
- WARMER TEMPERATURES RETURN ESPECIALLY HEADING INTO NEXT WEEK
DISCUSSION
ISSUED AT 1145 PM MDT TUE MAR 10 2026
STRONGER WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH SATURDAY, AS WE REMAIN
UNDER STRONG WEST TO NORTHWEST FLOW OFF THE SURFACE. TODAY LOOKS
TO BE THE "LIGHTEST" WINDY DAY, WITH GUSTS 25-35 MPH FAIRLY
COMMON ACROSS CENTRAL AND EASTERN IDAHO. WINDS RAMP UP THURSDAY
AS A LOW SKIRTS BY TO OUR NORTH, BUT HELPS TO INCREASE WINDS
ACROSS THE AREA. WE HAVE WIDESPREAD WIND GUSTS OF 35-60 MPH FOR
LATER THURSDAY. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR GUSTS UP TO 70 MPH
ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE SNAKE PLAIN AND ADJACENT BENCHES, HIGHER
RIDGELINES IN THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS, AND HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF
THE SOUTH HILLS AND ALBION MOUNTAINS. THERE IS A 10-20% CHANCE
OF EVEN STRONGER WINDS (OVER 70 MPH) ACROSS THE SNAKE PLAIN AND
30-70% FOR HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS, BENCHES
ADJACENT TO THE UPPER SNAKE PLAIN, AND AROUND POMERELLE. WE
ISSUED A HIGH WIND WATCH FOR THURSDAY FOR THE SNAKE PLAIN AND
BENCH AREAS, MAGIC VALLEY, TETON VALLEY, AND THE SOUTH
HILLS/ALBION MOUNTAINS. WE WILL LIKELY SEE SOME AREAS CONVERTED
TO A WARNING, OTHERS TO AN ADVISORY, AND POTENTIALLY ADDING
SOME LOCATIONS ACROSS THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS WHERE WIND HEADLINES
ARE SELDOMLY ISSUED. WINDS DROP DOWN A BIT FOR FRIDAY, BUT STILL
SOME AREAS WITH GUSTS 40-50 MPH AND ANOTHER ROUND OF POTENTIAL
WIND HEADLINES ON TAP. ANOTHER STORM CLIPS THE DIVIDE FRIDAY
NIGHT AND SATURDAY, AND LIKELY ANOTHER BIG RAMP UP OF WIND.
CURRENT INDICATIONS THAT SATURDAY MAY BE AS WINDY OR IF NOT A
BIG STRONGER WIND-WISE VS THURSDAY. THERE IS AN INCREASE CHANCE
OF GUSTS OVER 60 MPH SATURDAY, 10-20% HIGHER THAN THURSDAY, AND
5-10% HIGHER CHANCE OF GUSTS OVER 70 MPH. WINDS EVENTUALLY LET
UP AS HIGH PRESSURE LIKELY SHIFTS EAST CLOSER TO IDAHO NEXT
WEEK.
STARTING LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND CONTINUING THROUGH
NEXT WEEK, SOME OCCASIONAL LIGHT TO MODERATE PRECIPITATION IS
EXPECTED...WITH THE PEAK PERIODS LATER TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY. THE
FOCUS WILL GENERALLY BE THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE CENTRAL
MOUNTAINS AND EASTERN HIGHLANDS. WE SHOULD SEE AN UPTICK IN HIGH
MOUNTAIN SNOW TONIGHT AND TOMORROW AND AGAIN FRIDAY NIGHT AND
SATURDAY ACROSS THE SAWTOOTHS AND SURROUNDING RANGES, BUT IT
LOOKS LIKE MINIMAL IMPACT FOR GALENA OR BANNER SUMMITS. HIGHS
ARE ALREADY REBOUNDING TODAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH HIGHS DOWN
LOW IN THE 50S AND 60S. WITH HIGH PRESSURE NEXT WEEK,
TEMPERATURES WILL RAPIDLY PUSH INTO THE 70S ACROSS LOWER
ELEVATIONS.
AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY/
ISSUED AT 414 AM MDT WED MAR 11 2026
IT WILL BE BREEZY AGAIN TODAY AND TONIGHT, BUT NOT AS STRONG AS
TUESDAY IN MANY AREAS. GUSTS OF 20-30KTS ARE EXPECTED AT BYI,
PIH, IDA, AND DIJ. WINDS AT SUN THIS AFTERNOON WILL GUST CLOSER
TO 20KTS. CLOUDS WILL INCREASE THROUGHOUT THE DAY. WE DO EXPECT
CEILINGS TO REMAIN VFR. THERE COULD BE ENOUGH SHOWERS AROUND TO
WARRANT PROB30 OR VCSH AT SUN, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THE BULK OF IT
WILL REMAIN AWAY FROM THE AIRPORT. WE DO HAVE VCSH AT DIJ FOR
THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT.
PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
HIGH WIND WATCH FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING
FOR IDZ051>058-062-065.
DISCUSSION...KEYES
AVIATION...KEYES
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