textproduct: Pocatello

KEY MESSAGES

- Low clouds have returned across the region, with a few pockets of very light snow. The low clouds will remain a problematic forecast point through the weekend.

- Cooler for the weekend with isolated snow chances across the eastern highlands tonight into early Sunday.

- Continued dry conditions into next week with a warming trend likely, although valley inversions could cause havoc with this.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/

Issued at 118 PM MST Sat Jan 24 2026

Satellite imagery continues to show amplified ridge along Pacific coast, with deep continental sourced northerly flow over East Idaho. Weak shortwave dropping out of Montana and along the Wyoming/Idaho border is dragging a few mid and high clouds across the region. Widespread stratus still in place from the Magic Valley east to the Lower Snake Plain region, though there is some erosion from both the west and the north early this afternoon. Light snow is falling where the stratus is at optimal temperatures for snow growth and interactions with the higher clouds exist. Models still having a difficult time with the existence of the stratus, so impacts related to that overnight remain in question. Very light snows will be possible along the Eastern highlands for the remainder of today and tonight as the weak feature continues across the forecast area, but amounts will remain very light, even at higher elevations. For Sunday, have lowered temperatures where NBM has been consistently too warm, specifically throughout the Stanley Basin.

LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/

Issued at 118 PM MST Sat Jan 24 2026

Upper ridge transitions back into the Great Basin beginning Monday behind departing Sunday shortwave. Ridge continues through much of the week per model Ensemble means. For those keeping track, this means a wide scale return to surface based inversions (especially for areas that found some reprieve this weekend), and potential for stratus and fog resurgence. There is some hint of a weak system flattening the ridge Monday night into Tuesday, and then again on Wednesday but little to no moisture is associated with either system at this time, so minimal impacts are expected. Temperatures should warm up with the ridge, but the inversions could drastically break that trend. This week could end up being very similar to the past week over East Idaho - cloudy with limited temperature ranges in the lower elevations, and sunny and dry over higher elevations. There may be a stronger signal for Pacific energy to push the ridge and bring moisture to the region by next weekend. Uncertainty is high enough that even the NBM is maintaining dry conditions through Saturday.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z MONDAY/

Issued at 437 PM MST Sat Jan 24 2026

Other than mostly vicinity snow showers running around this evening, main aviation impact will continue to be low stratus. Confidence is low, however, in how stratus may evolve overnight tonight. Tweaked timing and height a bit based on the latest NBM and HRRR, but didn't have confidence to make any major changes to the going forecast, and some guidance is also hinting at things potentially breaking up a bit after about 12z/5am Sunday morning. Will need to monitor satellite and sfc ob trends closely, especially to see if we can improve things earlier than currently advertised. Also still seeing a period of IFR light snow at KDIJ late tonight into Sunday morning. Skies mostly clear by Sunday afternoon.

PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.