352
FXUS65 KPIH 081149
AFDPIH
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE POCATELLO ID
449 AM MST THU JAN 8 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- SNOW SHOWERS CONTINUE ON AND OFF TODAY WITH DRIER CONDITIONS
THROUGH THE WEEKEND.
- WIND ADVISORY FOR PARTS OF THE SOUTH HILLS AND EASTERN MAGIC
VALLEY TODAY WITH WIND GUSTS UP TO 55 MPH EXPECTED.
- COOLER AIR IS HERE NOW, BUT GRADUAL WARMING BEGINS THIS
WEEKEND.
SHORT TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/
ISSUED AT 246 AM MST THU JAN 8 2026
THE COLD FRONT IS THROUGH MOST OF EASTERN IDAHO BY THIS POINT AND
THE BULK OF OUR MORE ORGANIZED SNOW IS GONE WITH IT. HOWEVER, THAT
DOESN'T MEAN OUR SNOW IS ALL GONE. MODELS ARE SHOWING A CONVERGENCE
BAND OF SNOW THROUGH THE SNAKE RIVER PLAIN THIS MORNING, LIKELY
ENHANCED/TRIGGERED A BIT BY THE BATCH OF SNOW MOVING OUT OF BOISE'S
AREA AND INTO OURS AT THE MOMENT, AND SOME ISOLATED TO SCATTERED
SNOW SHOWERS CONTINUING IN THE MOUNTAINS THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND
EVENING. EVEN WITH SOME LINGERING SNOW TODAY, THE CURRENT PLAN IS TO
ALLOW OUR WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES TO EXPIRE AT 12Z. ADDITIONAL
SNOWFALL IN THE EASTERN HIGHLANDS MOUNTAINS WILL ONLY BE ANOTHER
INCH OR TWO. WITH THE CONVERGENCE BAND, MODELS ARE SHOWING ABOUT
ANOTHER HALF INCH OF SNOW, THOUGH CONFIDENCE IN THIS IS LOW. WIND
GUSTS WILL BE INCREASING BEHIND THIS COLD FRONT, ESPECIALLY IN THE
EASTERN MAGIC VALLEY AND SOUTH HILLS. WITH GUSTS UP TO 55 MPH
LOOKING LIKELY, A WIND ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR 6 AM TO 4 PM
TODAY. THE NBM IS SHOWING A 60 TO 80 PERCENT CHANCE OF GUSTS
REACHING AT LEAST 45 MPH, THE MINIMUM CRITERIA FOR THE WIND
ADVISORY, AROUND BURLEY, OAKLEY, AND MALTA AND A 40 TO 60 PERCENT
CHANCE OF REACHING AT LEAST 50 MPH. ANYONE DRIVING HIGH PROFILE
VEHICLES ALONG THIS PORTION OF I-84/86 SHOULD STAY ALERT, ESPECIALLY
NEAR THE SPLIT (YALE AREA) WHERE DOWNSLOPING WINDS TEND TO GUST
HIGHER. COOLER AIR IS ALSO MOVING INTO OUR AREA BEHIND THE COLD
FRONT WITH HIGHS TODAY ONLY EXPECTED TO REACH THE LOW TO MID 30S
THROUGH THE EASTERN MAGIC VALLEY AND SNAKE RIVER PLAIN WHILE OUR
HIGHER ELEVATION TOWNS WILL BE IN THE 20S. LATE TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY,
MOST OF ANY LINGERING SNOW SHOWERS WILL FINALLY TAPER OFF LEADING TO
DRY TIME ON FRIDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN OVER THE AREA.
LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/
ISSUED AT 230 PM MST WED JAN 7 2026
HIGH PRESSURE EVENTUALLY BUILDS ACROSS THE WESTERN
U.S., AND BASICALLY LEAVES EASTERN IDAHO MOSTLY DRY. WE DO EXPECT
SOME SHOWERS FRIDAY ACROSS THE EASTERN AND SOUTHEAST HIGHLANDS, AND
PERHAPS FOR PART OF THE DAY ACROSS THE SAWTOOTHS AND FRANK CHURCH.
WE COULD ALSO SEE SOME SHOWERS OCCASIONALLY NEXT WEEK WITH A COUPLE
OF STORMS TOPPING THE RIDGE. THAT WOULD MAINLY BE AROUND ISLAND PARK
IF THAT HAPPENS. THE PATTERN WILL PRODUCE A SLOW WARMING TREND, BUT
WE ARE NOT EXPECTING TEMPERATURES TO GET TOO FAR ABOVE AVERAGE. WE
WILL LIKELY NEED TO MONITOR TRENDS FOR INVERSION CONDITIONS, AND ANY
IMPACTS FROM THAT INCLUDING FOG AND STRATUS.
AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z FRIDAY/
ISSUED AT 449 AM MST THU JAN 8 2026
THE COLD FRONT HAS PASSED THROUGH MOST OF OUR TERMINALS THIS MORNING
WITH SNOW CURRENTLY AT DIJ AND BRINGING IFR CONDITIONS DUE TO LOW
VIS AND CIGS. MODELS ARE SHOWING ONE LAST ROUND OF SNOW SHOWERS
PASSING THROUGH IDA, PIH, AND DIJ LATER THIS MORNING, SO HAVE PROB30
GROUPS TO ACCOUNT FOR THIS. OUTSIDE OF SNOW, LOW CIGS CONTINUE AT
BYI, PIH, AND IDA THIS MORNING, THOUGH CIGS HAVE BEEN BACK AND FORTH
AT BKN TO SCT 009, SO EXPECT THE SWING FROM IFR TO VFR TO CONTINUE
FOR A FEW MORE HOURS. CIGS WILL IMPROVE AROUND MIDDAY BEFORE LOW
CLOUDS AND SOME PATCHY FOG RETURN TONIGHT. WIND WILL ALSO BE AN
IMPACT TODAY WITH GUSTS OF 30 TO 35 KTS AT BYI AND GUSTS OF 20 TO 25
KTS ELSEWHERE.
PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM MST THIS AFTERNOON FOR IDZ055>057.
SHORT TERM...AMM
LONG TERM...KEYES
AVIATION...AMM
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