375
FXUS65 KPIH 031120
AFDPIH
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE POCATELLO ID
520 AM MDT FRI APR 3 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY ENDS BY NOON TODAY. SNOW ENDS BY 6 PM
THIS EVENING.
- HIGH PRESSURE WITH NORTHWESTERLY AIR FLOW MEANS CLEAR SKIES
BUT A SLOW WARM UP THROUGH MONDAY.
- TEMPERATURES LEVEL OFF TUESDAY AS THE NEXT LOW ARRIVES FOR
TUESDAY NIGHT, THEN A SECOND LOW ARRIVES FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT
THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING.
DISCUSSION
ISSUED AT 135 AM MDT FRI APR 3 2026
TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT. SNOW STORM HAS CLEAR ALL BY THE
EASTERN AND SOUTHEASTERN HIGHLANDS AS FAR AS THE FORECAST AREA
IS CONCERNED. FIRST 18 HOURS OF FORECAST CONTINUES TO GENERATE
RAIN AND SNOW OVER THAT AREA THROUGH 04/06Z. AN UPPER LEVEL
RIDGE BUILDS INTO THE NORTHERN ROCKIES WITH THE AXIS STAYING TO
THE WEST WITH A SHARP SE TO NW ORIENTATION. THIS KEEPS THE UPPER
LEVEL FLOW FROM THE NORTHWEST THROUGH THE WEEKEND. ON SUN NIGHT,
THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE AXIS IS SHOVED EASTWARD TO THE ID-OR
BORDER, BUT STILL STAYING DRY. THIS UPPER LEVEL RIDGING KEEPS
SKIES CLEAR UNTIL SUN AFTERNOON, THEN LOOK FOR INCREASING
CLOUDINESS SUN NIGHT.
SO TEMPERATURES WILL WARM, BUT THE NORTHWESTERLY AIR FLOW SHOULD
MEAN A SLOW WARM UP DESPITE THE STRENGTHENING INSOLATION. BY SUN
AFTERNOON HIGHS SHOULD BE 8 TO 12 DEG F ABOVE NORMAL FOR THE
TIME OF YEAR. LOW TEMPERATURES IN THE SNAKE RIVER PLAIN WILL
FLIRT WITH BELOW FREEZING BOTH TONIGHT, SAT NIGHT, AND SUN
NIGHT, BUT WITH A WARMING TREND.
WIND MAY STAY ELEVATED TODAY, BUT NOWHERE NEAR THE MAGNITUDE OF
YESTERDAY. EXPECT LIGHT, MAINLY SLOPE-VALLEY WIND EFFECT.
MON THROUGH THU...THE NEXT UPPER LEVEL TROUGH MAKES IT ONSHORE
IN OR AND CA AT THE START OF THIS PERIOD. THIS TROUGH MERELY
FLATTENS THE RIDGE TO MORE WESTERLY FLOW, LEAVING LITTLE IN THE
WAY OF PRECIPITATION FOR MON. A SECOND, STRONGER TROUGH DIGS
SOUTH SOUTHEASTWARD OUT OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, BRINGING STRONG
WIND AND PRECIPITATION. THE WIND WILL BE TYPICAL SPRING-STYLE
STRONG WITH A POTENTIAL FOR ADVISORY CRITERIA, BUT PRECIPITATION
HAS ONLY SLIGHT CHANCE OF ACCUMULATING AT LOWER ELEVATIONS WITH
LOW CHANCE POPS FOR THE SNAKE RIVER PLAIN AND EVEN FOR PLACES
LIKE STANLEY. AND PRECIPITATION DOES NOT REACH THIS FAR SOUTH
UNTIL WED, SO EVEN TUE SHOULD BE MAINLY WIND.
TEMPERATURES EVEN AT 6000FT-7000FT ELEVATION WILL BE WARMING
ABOVE FREEZING EVERY DAY DURING THE PERIOD, SO WHILE THERE WILL
BE OVERNIGHT SNOW ACCUMULATION, IT SHOULD AT LEAST PARTIALLY
MELT DURING THE DAY. SNAKE RIVER PLAIN OVERNIGHT LOWS SHOULD
MAINLY STAY ABOVE FREEZING. AFTERNOON HIGHS ARE COOLER, BUT
STILL STAYING ABOVE NORMAL UNTIL PERHAPS THU WHEN THEY WILL BE
NEAR NORMAL.
WIND DURING THIS EXTENDED PERIOD SHOULD BECOME BREEZY TO WINDY
EVERY AFTERNOON, PERHAPS VERY WINDY ON TUE WITH THE SECOND
TROUGH.
AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z SATURDAY/
ISSUED AT 512 AM MDT FRI APR 3 2026
STRATUS APPEARS TO BE THE MAIN ISSUE THIS MORNING AFTER THE
STRONG FRONT PASSED THROUGH YESTERDAY. WIND WILL STAY ELEVATED
WITH ONLY KBYI SHOWING SOME GUSTS TO 20KT TO 25KT. KSUN IS
SHOWING A REVERSE OF NORMAL WIND DIRECTION, WITH
DOWNSLOPE/NORTHWEST BEING FORCED BY THE EXITING LOW, BECOMING
VARIABLE, THEN LATE TONIGHT SHIFTING TO LIGHT SOUTHEAST WITH
ANOTHER LOW APPROACHING FROM THE PACIFIC AND MOVING THROUGH TO
THE NORTH OF IDAHO.
MARGINAL VFR CIGS ARE IN AND OUR AT KIDA AND KPIH DURING THE
MORNING HOURS, BUT SHOULD STABLIZE BY LATE MORNING AND STAY VFR.
RIGHT NOW, EVEN WITH WIND SETTLING DOWN FOR THE TONIGHT PERIOD,
FOG DOESN'T SEEM TO BE FAVORABLE TONIGHT. KBYI WILL BE UNLIMITED
FOR CIG AND VSBY.
THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IS THE CONTINUING SHSN AT KDIJ. THIS WILL
STAY AROUND THROUGH 03/18Z TODAY, WITH IFR POSSIBLE DURING THE
MORNING HOURS,BOTH DUE TO VSBY AND CIG, THEN IMPROVING TO
MARGINAL VFR AS SHSN DIMINISHES BY 03/15Z. HERE IS THE ONE PLACE
THAT LOOKS LIKE MARGINAL VFR CIGS DUE TO STRATUS RE-DEVELOPMENT
MAY TAKE PLACE.
PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL NOON MDT TODAY FOR IDZ060-063-
064-066.
DISCUSSION...MESSICK
AVIATION...MESSICK
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