978
FXUS65 KPIH 292013
AFDPIH
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE POCATELLO ID
113 PM MST THU JAN 29 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- TEMPERATURES WILL STEADILY CLIMB THROUGH THE WEEKEND, WITH
MANY AFTERNOON HIGHS REACHING THE 40S AND LOWER 50S BY SUNDAY.
- LIGHT SNOW IS EXPECTED IN PORTIONS OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS
AND ISLAND PARK REGIONS THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT, THOUGH
ACCUMULATIONS WILL REMAIN UNDER 2 INCHES.
- AFTER A BRIEF RELATIVE COOLDOWN MONDAY AND TUESDAY, THE
WARMING TREND RETURNS THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK.
SHORT TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/
ISSUED AT 113 PM MST THU JAN 29 2026
SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS DEVELOPING RIDGE OVER WESTERN U.S. WITH
HIGH CLOUDS STREAMING THROUGH THE PACNW STATES AHEAD OF WEAK
SHORTWAVE TROUGH. IN EAST IDAHO, LOW STRATUS AND PATCHY FOG IS
IN PLACE LATE THIS MORNING OVER MUCH OF THE SNAKE RIVER PLAIN
AND ADJACENT VALLEY REGIONS, STRETCHING SOUTH INTO THE CACHE
VALLEY. RAPID CLEARING OF THE STRATUS SHIELD IS UNDERWAY EXCEPT
FOR THE NORTH END OF THE SNAKE RIVER PLAIN AND THE MARSH, CACHE
AND ADJACENT VALLEYS IN THE SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS. MODELS LIFT WEAK
JET ACROSS THE TOP OF THE RIDGE TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY, AND IT
MAY BE ENOUGH TO PRODUCE VERY LIGHT SNOWS ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE
CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AND NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS. GREATEST
ACCUMULATIONS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE ISLAND PARK REGION, WHERE
UP TO 2" OF ACCUMULATION IS POSSIBLE THROUGH FRIDAY. THE CHANCE
OF EXCEEDING 2" IS LESS THAN 30%, AND THE CHANCE OF SEEING
ANYTHING MORE THAN A QUICK DUSTING IS AROUND OR LESS THAN 15%
ANYWHERE ELSE. THE MID AND HIGH CLOUD IS EXPECTED TO INHIBIT
SIGNIFICANT REDEVELOPMENT OF THE STRATUS AND FOG OVERNIGHT
TONIGHT. THAT SAID, PATCHY FOG DOES REMAIN POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT
THROUGHOUT LOWER ELEVATION AREAS, AND NBM MEANS MAINTAIN 4-6
MILE VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS OVERNIGHT, SO MAINTAINED MENTION
FOR FORECAST GRIDS. UPPER RIDGE AXIS SHIFTS BACK ACROSS EAST
IDAHO FRIDAY NIGHT.
LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/
ISSUED AT 113 PM MST THU JAN 29 2026
UPPER RIDGE AXIS TRANSITIONS INTO EAST IDAHO FOR THE WEEKEND,
LEADING TO WARMING TREND ACROSS THE REGION. THIS MAY COME WITH
THE CAVEAT OF RENEWED POTENTIAL FOR LOW ELEVATION STRATUS AND
FOG, WHICH MAY THEN DAMPEN TEMPERATURES SLIGHTLY. THE NBM MEANS
STILL CARRY HIGHS IN THE MID 40S TO LOW 50S BY SUNDAY FOR MOST
LOWER ELEVATION AREAS. ANOTHER WEAK FEATURE TRIES TO TOP THE
RIDGE LATE SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY, WITH ANOTHER CHANCE FOR LIGHT
SNOW ACROSS HIGHER ELEVATION AREAS. ONCE AGAIN, THE CHANCE FOR
MORE THAN AN INCH OR TWO OF ACCUMULATION AT HIGHER ELEVATIONS IS
MINIMAL. THE UPPER RIDGE AXIS STRENGTHENS ONCE AGAIN BEHIND THIS
FEATURE, WITH CONTINUED WARMING THROUGH MIDWEEK. THE AREA
COVERED BY A GREATER THAN 50% PROBABILITY OF TEMPERATURES
EXCEEDING 50 DEGREES GROWS SIGNIFICANTLY BY THURSDAY, COVERING A
BROAD SWATH SOUTH OF A LINE FROM SHOSHONE TO BLACKFOOT.
AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z FRIDAY/
ISSUED AT 1030 AM MST THU JAN 29 2026
WITH HIGH PRESSURE OVERHEAD, WE ARE BACK TO DEALING WITH LOW
STRATUS/FOG IN THE MORNINGS. WE'RE FINALLY SEEING SOME IMPROVEMENT
AT PIH, THOUGH IT REMAINS ON OUR DOOR STEP AND JUST A SLIGHT WIND
SHIFT WOULD BRING IT RIGHT BACK INTO THE TERMINAL. HAVE "SPLIT THE
DIFFERENCE" AT BIT WITH THE PIH TAF FOR THE TIME BEING GOING WITH
4SM BR SCT005 BKN025 FOR THE NEXT FEW HOURS. AT IDA, IFR CIGS
CONTINUE AND WHILE IMPROVEMENT IS EXPECTED THERE, TOO, TODAY, IT MAY
NOT BE VFR CONDITIONS UNTIL CLOSER TO 00Z. THINGS ARE MUCH BETTER
AROUND BYI AND SUN WHILE DIJ GOES BACK AND FORTH FROM SCT002 TO
BKN/OVC002. SO, WHEN ANY LOW STRATUS/FOG MOVES BACK INTO THE
TERMINAL, EXPECT QUICK DROPS TO IFR/LIFR CIGS AND VIS. MORE OF THE
SAME IS IN THE FORECAST FOR TONIGHT, THOUGH SOME OF THE CAMS WANT TO
KEEP IT A BIT MORE CONFINED TO THE UPPER SNAKE RIVER PLAIN WITH MAIN
IMPACTS EXPECTED AT IDA AND DIJ.
PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
NONE.
SHORT TERM...DMH
LONG TERM...DMH
AVIATION...AMM
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