304
FXUS65 KPIH 091855
AFDPIH
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE POCATELLO ID
1255 PM MDT MON MAR 9 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- RELENTLESS WIND PATTERN: STRONG WINDS REMAIN THE PRIMARY
CONCERN ACROSS EASTERN IDAHO TODAY AND THROUGHOUT MUCH OF THE
UPCOMING WEEK
- WIND ADVISORIES IN EFFECT: A WIND ADVISORY CONTINUES THIS
AFTERNOON, WITH ANOTHER ISSUED FOR TOMORROW AS SUSTAINED WINDS
OF 30+ MPH AND HIGHER GUSTS ARE EXPECTED
- TEMPERATURE ROLLER COASTER: AFTER A BRIEF COOLING TREND
TOMORROW, TEMPERATURES WILL SOAR TO WELL ABOVE SEASONAL
NORMALS BY MIDWEEK AND ESPECIALLY INTO THE WEEKEND
- SPRING WARMTH ARRIVES: DESPITE THE WIND, A SIGNIFICANT WARMING
TREND IS ON THE HORIZON, WITH HIGHS IN THE 60S BY THE WEEKEND
AND POTENTIALLY 70S BY EARLY NEXT WEEK
DISCUSSION
ISSUED AT 1250 PM MDT MON MAR 9 2026
VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGERY THIS AFTERNOON REVEALS AMPLE SUNSHINE
ACROSS THE REGION, PUNCTUATED ONLY BY THIN RIBBONS OF MID-TO-
HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS STREAMING OVER THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AND ALONG
THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE. WHILE THE AESTHETICS ARE PLEASANT, WIND
REMAINS THE DOMINANT WEATHER STORY FOR EASTERN IDAHO TODAY AND
WILL LIKELY MAINTAIN ITS GRIP FOR THE DURATION OF THE WEEK. THE
CURRENT WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON,
AND A SUBSEQUENT ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR TOMORROW TO COVER
MANY OF THE SAME AREAS. ALTHOUGH THE LATEST NBM (NATIONAL BLEND
OF MODELS) PROBABILITIES HAVE BACKED OFF SLIGHTLY COMPARED TO
TODAY’S VALUES, WE STILL ANTICIPATE SUSTAINED WINDS EXCEEDING 30
MPH. THESE WINDS WILL SHIFT A BIT MORE TO THE SOUTH TOMORROW,
SPATIALLY, WHICH COULD LEAVE THE UPPER SNAKE PLAIN OUT FOR
TOMORROW. WHILE TODAY’S TEMPERATURES ARE RUNNING ABOVE SEASONAL
AVERAGES, A SHARP, TEMPORARY DROP IS EXPECTED TOMORROW. THIS
COOLING WILL BE SHORT-LIVED, HOWEVER, AS THE REGION RETURNS TO A
WARMING TREND BY MIDWEEK THAT INTENSIFIES INTO THE WEEKEND.
WEDNESDAY CURRENTLY STANDS AS THE ONLY DAY THIS WEEK WHERE A
WIND ADVISORY MIGHT BE AVOIDED, THOUGH EVEN THEN, CONDITIONS
WILL BE MARGINAL. A TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL REMAIN ANCHORED
OVER THE AREA THROUGH THE WEEKEND, MAKING FURTHER WIND
HIGHLIGHTS A NEAR-CERTAINTY FOR THURSDAY, WITH HIGH
PROBABILITIES CONTINUING FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. REGARDING
PRECIPITATION, THE LOWER ELEVATIONS SHOULD REMAIN LARGELY DRY
THROUGH THE WEEK, SAVE FOR A FEW ISOLATED SHOWER CHANCES
TOMORROW AND AGAIN ON SATURDAY. MOST MOISTURE WILL STAY CONFINED
TO THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AND EASTERN
HIGHLANDS. THIS IS DUE TO A QUICK ZONAL FLOW REGIME THAT ALLOWS
OCCASIONAL PULSES OF PACIFIC MOISTURE TO STREAM THROUGH THE
HIGHER LATITUDES. DESPITE THE PERSISTENT WIND, THE SECONDARY
HEADLINE IS THE ARRIVAL OF GENUINE SPRING-LIKE WARMTH. HIGHS IN
THE 60S ARE LIKELY FOR THE WEEKEND WITH EVEN LOWER 70S POSSIBLE
INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK, MARKING A SIGNIFICANT SHIFT IN THE
SEASONAL PATTERN.
AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY/
ISSUED AT 1131 AM MDT MON MAR 9 2026
THE IMPACT THROUGH TUESDAY WILL BE THE WINDS. EXPECT VFR SKY
CONDITIONS THROUGH THE PERIOD. EXPECT SUSTAINED 30 KNOT WINDS AT
PIH AND IDA THIS AFTERNOON WITH 15 TO 25 SUSTAINED AT SUN, DIJ
AND BYI. GUSTS OVER 40 KNOTS AT PIH AND IDA AND 25 TO 35 AT THE
OTHER THREE SITES. EXPECT DIMINISHING WINDS AFTER 03Z AT ALL THE
SITES THAN INCREASING AGAIN SUBSTANTIALLY LATE TUESDAY MORNING
TO THE 15 TO 30 KNOT SUSTAINED WITH GUSTS 25 TO 40 KNOTS. WINDS
CONDITIONS EXPECTED ALL WEEK.
PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR IDZ051>055-065.
DISCUSSION...MCKAUGHAN
AVIATION...GK
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