773
FXUS65 KPIH 130401
AFDPIH
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE POCATELLO ID
1001 PM MDT THU MAR 12 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND PATCHY BLOWING DUST WILL CONTINUE
THROUGH THE EVENING, WITH A SECOND SURGE OF STRONG WINDS FOR
SATURDAY.
- PERIODS OF LIGHT MOUNTAIN SNOW WILL PERSIST THROUGH SATURDAY,
PRIMARILY ABOVE 6000 FT, LEADING TO OCCASIONAL WINTER TRAVEL
CONDITIONS ON A FEW AREA PASSES.
- A MAJOR WARMING TREND ARRIVES NEXT WEEK. VALLEY TEMPERATURES
WILL LIKELY REACH THE 70S BY MID WEEK, AND SOME AREAS COULD
SEE 80 DEGREE HIGHS.
DISCUSSION
ISSUED AT 133 PM MDT THU MAR 12 2026
A SIGNIFICANT, PROLONGED WIND EVENT REMAINS THE PRIMARY CONCERN
ACROSS EAST IDAHO TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY AS STRONG WEST-TO-
NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT MIXES DOWN TO LOWER ELEVATIONS. CURRENT
OBSERVATIONS INDICATE THAT THE HIGH WIND WARNING AND WIND
ADVISORY ARE WELL PLACED WITH GUSTS APPROACHING OR EXCEEDING 60
MPH IN PLACES. A FEW ITD CAMERAS SHOW INTERMITTENT BLOWING
DUST, BUT THE LACK OF WIDESPREAD VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS HAVE
KEPT THE IMPACT LOCALIZED FOR NOW, MAINLY NORTH AND EAST OF
IDAHO FALLS. PATCHY BLOWING DUST HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE GRIDS
THROUGH THE EVENING AS WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO PEAK LATE THIS
AFTERNOON. THE WINDS WILL SUBSIDE LATE THIS EVENING, BUT ARE
EXPECTED TO REMAIN GUSTY AND JUST BELOW ADVISORY LEVELS FOR THE
SNAKE PLAIN THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING.
EXPECT ANOTHER RAMP-UP IN WINDS DURING THE DAY FRIDAY, THOUGH
NOT QUITE TO TODAY'S INTENSITY. ADDITIONAL WIND ADVISORIES WILL
LIKELY BE REQUIRED ONCE CURRENT HEADLINES EXPIRE. LOOKING AHEAD
TO SATURDAY, A SECOND STRONG SURGE IN WINDS IS FORECAST TO
PRODUCE WINDS THAT MAY APPROACH OR EXCEED TODAY'S VALUES.
PROBABILISTIC GUIDANCE SHOWS A 60-85% CHANCE OF MAXIMUM GUSTS
EXCEEDING 55 MPH FOR NEARLY THE ENTIRE SNAKE RIVER PLAIN ON
SATURDAY. A FEW LOCATIONS COULD APPROACH OR EXCEED 70 MPH BASED
ON THE LATEST GUIDANCE. HAVE ADDED ANOTHER ROUND OF PATCHY
BLOWING DUST TO THE FORECAST FOR SATURDAY GIVEN THE SIMILARITY
TO TODAY. EXPECT ADDITIONAL WIND ADVISORIES AND/OR HIGH WIND
WARNINGS.
THE PERSISTENT WESTERLY FLOW WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE PERIODS
OF LIGHT MOUNTAIN SNOW ACROSS THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AND EASTERN
HIGHLANDS THROUGH SATURDAY. WHILE NBM LIQUID PRECIPITATION
TOTALS RANGE FROM 0.50-1.25" ACROSS THE REGION, MOST OF THIS
SHOULD BE CONCENTRATED TO THE HIGHER MOUNTAIN RANGES NORTH OF
THE WOOD RIVER REGION. CONTINUED THE TREND OF PARING BACK THE
HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION IN THE FORECAST WHERE THE HIGHER
RESOLUTION MODELS APPEAR TO BE OVERDOING THE OROGRAPHIC ASSENT
AND UNREALISTIC TOTALS. FURTHER EAST, THE LIQUID TOTALS FOR THE
EASTERN HIGHLANDS SHOULD STILL RANGE 0.30-0.80", HIGHEST ACROSS
THE BIG HOLE RANGE AND NORTH ALONG THE WYOMING BORDER TO THE
CENTENNIALS. SNOW TOTALS FOR BACKCOUNTRY PEAKS RANGE AS HIGH AS
6-9" BUT MOST MAJOR ROADWAYS INCLUDING PASSES SHOULD BE MUCH
LESS WITH MINIMAL TRAVEL IMPACTS. WILL CONTINUE TO HOLD OFF ON
ANY WINTER RELATED HEADLINES FOR NOW.
BY SUNDAY, A STRONG RIDGE BUILDS OVER THE WEST, LEADING TO HIGH
CONFIDENCE IN A SHARP WARMING TREND STARTING MONDAY. THERE IS A
55% CHANCE OF REACHING 70 DEGREES FOR HIGHS ACROSS THE SNAKE
PLAIN BY TUESDAY, AND AT LEAST A 45% CHANCE OF REACHING 80
DEGREES SOUTH AND WEST OF BLACKFOOT BY WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY.
DAILY RECORD HIGHS WILL LIKELY BE CHALLENGED STARTING TUESDAY.
AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z SATURDAY/
ISSUED AT 1001 PM MDT THU MAR 12 2026
MAIN IMPACTS CONTINUE TO BE WIND. EXPECT GUSTS UP TO 30KTS AT
IDA AND PIH THROUGH THE NIGHT. SUN WILL PROBABLY TURN A
DOWNVALLEY WIND ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS OF HOW LONG
THEY MAY HOLD THAT WITH SOME OF THE GUIDANCE SHOWING VARIABLE OR
A LIGHT UPVALLEY WIND DEVELOPING AROUND 12Z. EXPECT STRONG
GUSTY CROSSWINDS ONCE AGAIN AT SUN AROUND MIDDAY. WITH GUSTY
WINDS EXPECTED AT OTHER TAF SITES AS WELL THROUGH THE AFTERNOON.
SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE TO FLIRT WITH DIJ BUT MOST LIKELY AVOID
THEM. LOOKS LIKE A 30% CHANCE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE TAF PERIOD
OF SHOWERS AT DIJ. IF IT WERE TO OCCUR, MAY SEE A BRIEF PERIOD
OF MVFR CONDITIONS.
PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
WIND ADVISORY FROM 11 AM TO 9 PM MDT FRIDAY FOR IDZ052>054-065.
DISCUSSION...DMH
AVIATION...13
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