FXUS65 KPIH 142356
AFDPIH

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Pocatello ID
556 PM MDT Tue Apr 14 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Winter Weather Advisories start late tonight in the central
  Idaho mountains, Wednesday afternoon in the eastern and
  southeastern highlands.

- Wind Advisories in the Arco Desert-Mud Lake region and
  Beaverhead-Lemhi highlands.

- Snow Wednesday night and Thursday morning down to Snake River
  plain elevations.

- Well below freezing temperatures Thursday and Friday nights.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 1250 PM MDT Tue Apr 14 2026

Tonight through Fri will be payback for the mild winter eastern
Idaho had experienced for the most part. Incoming low with a
vigorous cold front will bring moderate to heavy snow in the
high elevations, and lighter snow below about 6500ft elevation.
Based on current temperature expectations, the snow above 7000ft
elevation in the central Idaho mountains will be moderate to
heavy up to 8500ft elevation. Lighter snow below that. Most
affected zones are in the southern end, where the southwest flow
has its best precipitation production. Elsewhere, moderate to
heavy accumulations above 6500ft elevation should occur in the
Island Park region in the northeast corner, and in the Bear
River Range down at the Utah border. Elsewhere, expect light to
moderate snowfall. Wed night and Thu morning will also bring
some light snow to the Snake River plain/eastern Magic Valley,
but it should stay below 2 inches and melt at least partially on
Thu afternoon and completely by Fri afternoon.

Temperatures will remain mild with the increase in cloud cover
tonight and the southerly air flow, but a strong cool down is
expected in highs and lows, with winter like overnight lows in
the single digits and teens, and lower to middle 20s in the
Snake River plain/eastern Magic Valley for Thu night.

Finally, this storm and its surface cold front will bring strong
wind that will produce windy to very windy conditions Wed
afternoon and evening in the Arco Desert and Mud Lake region. It
will extend northward into the Lemhi highlands for a portion of
that time as well. On Thu, the high wind will shift southward as
the wind shifts to northwesterly and so there will be better
alignment in the eastern Magic Valley and lower Snake River
plain. At least windy conditions (20 to 30 mph with gusts
staying below 45 mph) should redevelop on Fri afternoon in these
lower elevations.

Fri night through next Tue afternoon...A transient upper level
ridge moves in at the beginning of this period, allowing strong
warming on Sat and Sun. There is a 60-40 split on if this ridge
will break down on Sun night, with 60 percent of the clusters
saying no. But by Mon afternoon the trough should pass through,
bringing more rain and overnight high elevation snow that lasts
to the end of the forecast week.

Overnight lows appear to say 5 to 10 deg F below normal for the
time of year through Sun night, so it will be no time to plant
your garden. The shift to southwest flow and the return of cloud
cover warms up overnight lows on Mon night. And despite the
cloud cover, temperatures in the southerly air flow continue to
warm for Mon and Tue.

Afternoon wind continues breezy to windy during the afternoons,
with Sat being the lightest.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z THURSDAY/...
Issued at 545 PM MDT Tue Apr 14 2026

Will have VFR conditions overnight tonight with winds
diminishing to 10 knots or less after 03Z. Impacts Wednesday
will be winds around 20 knots at PIH and IDA after 18Z with
gusts up to 30 knots. Have rain showers after 14Z at SUN and
after 18Z at DIJ. Just have VCSH at the other three locations.
Winds will also increase at DIJ and BYI to 10 to 15 knots and
gusts 20 to 25 knots after 19Z as well. Dropped ceilings to 3
thousand feet at DIJ after 18Z and 3500 to 6 thousand feet at
the other sites.

&&

.PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Wind Advisory from 11 AM to 9 PM MDT Wednesday for IDZ052-067.
Winter Weather Advisory from 6 PM Wednesday to 6 AM MDT Friday
for IDZ060-066.
Winter Weather Advisory from midnight tonight to noon MDT
Thursday for IDZ071>074.

&&

$$

DISCUSSION...Messick
AVIATION...GK