textproduct: Pocatello

KEY MESSAGES

- Winter Weather Advisory continues as convergence band of snow moves through Central Mountains, upper Snake River Plain, and Eastern Highlands.

- Wind Advisory continues through the early evening with gusts to 55 mph.

- Ridge of high pressure returns for the weekend to bring drier, warmer conditions.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 124 PM MDT Thu Apr 2 2026

The cold front is mostly through eastern Idaho by this point, but the low itself is still working its way through the area this afternoon/evening. Radar shows most of the moisture still in parts of the South Hills and Eastern Highlands this afternoon, though scattered showers will continue on and off through the evening, and wrap around moisture is just beginning to move into the upper Snake River Plain. WIND ADVISORY continues as winds remain elevated with through the evening, sustained at 25 to 35 mph with gusts to 55 mph. Winds will drop below advisory criteria later this evening, but gusts around 20 to 25 mph look likely to continue overnight.

As mentioned above, we are watching the wrap around moisture on the back side of the low bring a convergence band of snow to the upper Snake River Plain and Eastern Highlands this afternoon through early Friday morning. We are starting to see it moving into the Mud Lake area and it will keep moving east/southeast. Currently, CAMs are painting a variety of snowfall totals in the upper Snake River Plain with this wrap around moisture ranging from a dusting to almost 2-3" of snow. The truth is most likely somewhere in the middle. The NBM came in a bit light with about a quarter to a half inch from Idaho Falls to St. Anthony, so went in and adjusted it to more of a half inch to 1 inch range. The HREF is showing about a 30 to 50 percent chance of at least an inch of snow for the Firth to St. Anthony corridor with the convergence band and about a 15 to 30 percent chance of 2 inches. At this point, models keep the band just north of Pocatello, so very little snow is in the forecast for the rest of today/tonight around Pocatello, but if the band makes it farther south that would change things a bit. Keep in mind, road temps and ground temps are fairly warm, so it would need to snow hard and fast to overwhelm roads quickly.

In the WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY areas, most of the organized precipitation for the Central Mountains is finished, but showery activity will continue through the rest of the afternoon, so will allow the advisory to continue there as planned. Total additional snowfall looks to be around 1 to 3 inches at and below pass level with an additional 3 to 6 inches above pass level. In the Eastern Highlands, additional snow will range from 1 to 4 inches below pass level and 4 to 8 inches near Pine Creek Pass and Emigration Summit. Most, if not all, of our snow should be wrapped up by midday Friday as the low will be exiting Wyoming at that point. Then, a ridge of high pressure begins to build in over the West allowing us to dry out and warm up as we head into the weekend. Highs will go from low 50s on Friday to near 60 on Saturday, mid to upper 60s Sunday, to low 70s on Monday and Tuesday.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z FRIDAY/

Issued at 507 PM MDT Thu Apr 2 2026

Main impact will be first 12 hours and impact of wrap around moisture from upper level low moving rapidly east. For now have snow showers at IDA with tempo visibility down to 1 mile through 04Z with MVFR ceilings. Ended snow showers and went VFR after 12Z. For PIH have a tempo 4 miles through 05Z, but very low confidence as not sure area of snow makes it that far south. And at DIJ have tempo 1 mile through 03Z with 4 miles through 10Z. Have nothing more than vicinity showers at SUN and BYI under VFR conditions. Other impact is very strong winds and have 20 to 25 knot sustained with gusts 30 to 35 through 04 to 07Z at PIH and IDA then drop to 15 knots by 12Z Friday. BYI generally 15 to 20 knots through tonight with normal downvalley, upvalley pattern at SUN. Have 15 gust 25 knots at DIJ dissipating to around 10 knots after 04Z. Will see widespread VFR Friday with clearing skies and winds more in the 10 to 15 knot range.

PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Wind Advisory until 9 PM MDT this evening for IDZ051>057-065. Winter Weather Advisory until noon MDT Friday for IDZ060-063- 064-066. Winter Weather Advisory until 6 PM MDT this evening for IDZ071>074.