textproduct: Pocatello

KEY MESSAGES

- Additional snow accumulations of 2-4" will impact mountain passes in the eastern highland through Friday morning, and Winter Weather Advisories remain in effect.

- Windy conditions ease this evening throughout the region, but remain breezy Friday. Wind Advisory for gusts around 45 mph remains in place through the evening.

- Sub-freezing temperatures are expected tonight, with a Hard Freeze possible outside the Interstate corridors. FREEZE WARNING for tonight. Hard Freeze expected most areas Friday night, and additional FREEZE WARNING will be needed.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 146 PM MDT Thu Apr 23 2026

Satellite water vapor imagery this afternoon reveals a complex upper-level low centered over Alberta, Canada. A secondary shortwave is currently pivoting southeast through western Montana, trailing the initial system that exited East Idaho earlier today. Surface winds remain a primary concern into the evening, particularly across the southern Snake Plain from Shoshone to Pocatello. While clearing skies may allow for deeper mixing and wind gusts approaching 45 mph, the development of shallow convective clouds within these clear slots is expected to limit the overall mixing potential. A WIND ADVISORY remains in effect through early this evening to account for these localized higher gusts.

Lingering snow showers in the eastern highlands will briefly taper this afternoon before intensifying tonight as the next shortwave approaches. Additional snowfall accumulations of 2 to 4 inches are expected, primarily above valley floors, impacting mountain passes through early Friday morning. High-resolution guidance suggests the heaviest rates will occur late this afternoon and evening, specifically for the Big Hole Mountains and surrounding areas. This activity may extend westward into the Snake Plain near Idaho Falls and shift as far south as Blackfoot by early evening. Showers will likely redevelop overnight and spread across the southern and eastern regions through Friday afternoon; therefore, WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES remain in effect for much of the eastern highlands.

Cold overnight lows remain a concern tonight and into the weekend. Overnight lows are forecast to drop below freezing for most areas outside the immediate Interstate corridors tonight, with a "Hard Freeze" (temperatures at or below 28F) possible in some areas. A FREEZE WARNING has been issued for the entire Snake Plain for tonight. Even colder air arrives Friday night into Saturday morning, where there is a greater than 75% probability of a widespread Hard Freeze across the Snake Plain, and additional FREEZE WARNINGS are likely. Broad troughing associated with the Canadian low will likely persist through mid-week, maintaining showery conditions and below-average temperatures. Ensemble clusters show positional differences in the trough axis draped across the region for much of the next work week, so there is still plenty of uncertainty regarding exact temperature and precipitation trends.

AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z FRIDAY/

Issued at 1238 PM MDT Thu Apr 23 2026

Seeing an occasional break in clouds across valley terminals which has allowed occasional VFR to be observed but overall, still seeing SCT/BKN CIGs around 2-4kft feet throughout much of the region. KSUN has seen the most breaks in cloud cover and this will likely continue with VFR conditions expected there. KIDA and KDIJ will have some potential for showers, maybe a thunderstorm, later today with the highest chance at the latter terminal. Localized reductions to MVFR or IFR will be possible in and around showers along with gusty winds. Speaking of wind, it remains breezy throughout the area, especially in the Snake Plain and Magic Valley where winds 20-30 kts are expected into the evening before lessening later tonight. At least low-end precip chances remain in the forecast during the overnight and into the day on Friday.

PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Wind Advisory until 8 PM MDT this evening for IDZ051. Freeze Warning from 3 AM to 10 AM MDT Friday for IDZ051>055. Winter Weather Advisory until midnight MDT tonight for IDZ060- 063-064-066.