653
FXUS65 KPIH 092248
AFDPIH
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE POCATELLO ID
448 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 /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z WEDNESDAY/
ISSUED AT 436 PM MDT MON MAR 9 2026
DESPITE THE COLD FRONT TODAY, IT'S A DRY COLD FRONT AND VERY
LITTLE IN THE WAY OF CLOUDS, LET ALONG CIG/VSBY FOR THIS
AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EVENING. THIS CHANGES SOMEWHAT OVERNIGHT
AS A SECOND TROUGH SLIDES THROUGH THE REGION. HOWEVER, LITTLE TO
NO SHRA/SHSN IS EXPECTED, SAVE FOR IN THE MOUNTAINS SURROUNDING
KDIJ, AND NOT UNTIL THE LATE MORNING AND AFTERNOON. SHOULD HAVE
NO IMPACT ON VSBY AS IT WILL BE SHRA AT AIRPORT ELEVATION THERE.
ELSEWHERE, VSBY IS LIKEWISE UNAFFECTED AND IF CIGS DEVELOP, THEY
SHOULD REMAIN SOLID VFR WITH KIDA AND KPIH GETTING UNDER 6000FT
AGL FOR CIGS. THE REST MAY OBSERVE CIRRIFORM CIGS AT WORST.
THE MAIN FORECAST PROBLEM WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE WIND, HOWEVER.
GUIDANCE INDICATES A SWITCH GETS FLIPPED AROUND 10/01Z, WHERE
WIND SUBSIDES, MAINLY DUE TO FRONTAL PASSAGE AND LOSS OF
INSOLATION. HOWEVER, IT STILL STAYS AT 10G20KT OR 15G25KT. THERE
ARE WIND ADVISORIES IN EFFECT FOR THE REGIONS COVER KPIH AND
KBYI ON TUE, BUT CURRENTLY ONLY HAVE G30KT INDICATED BY
INDIVIDUAL GUIDANCE. KIDA SHOULD ALSO REACH 20G30KT, THEN KDIJ
AND KSUN PEAK TOMORROW AROUND 15G25KT; DIRECTIONS SHOULD BE
NORTHWEST FOR KSUN, WHICH IS GOOD, AND SOUTHWEST TO WEST FOR
KDIJ, WHICH IS LIKELY WHY SHRA COULD BE AROUND, COMING OFF OF
THE SURROUNDING MOUNTAINS.
PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR IDZ051>055-065.
WIND ADVISORY FROM NOON TO 8 PM MDT TUESDAY FOR IDZ051-052-054-
055.
DISCUSSION...MCKAUGHAN
AVIATION...MESSICK
CLICK HERE TO GO TO PREVIOUS BULLETINS.
Main Text Page