textproduct: Pocatello

KEY MESSAGES

- Persistent Cold & Frost Risks: Cold overnight temperatures continue for the next couple of mornings, with a Freeze Warning in effect for the Snake Plain and Arco Desert through Thursday morning. While urban centers like Pocatello and Idaho Falls may stay near or above freezing, rural areas will likely see a light freeze with temperatures between 28F and 32F.

- Scattered Showers Today: Expect isolated to scattered afternoon showers primarily across the higher terrain of the central mountains and eastern highlands, with a slight chance for some activity to drift into the Snake Plain.

- Weekend Warm-up: A warming trend begins this weekend as high pressure builds, returning temperatures to roughly 10 degrees above normal by the weekend and into early next week.

- Unsettled Next Week: Conditions become more unsettled late this weekend into next week as an upper-level low approaches the Great Basin, though the bulk of moisture may remain south of the region.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 116 PM MDT Wed Apr 29 2026

The slowly decaying upper trough currently over eastern Idaho is maintaining mid-to-high level cloud cover and keeping a threat of isolated to scattered afternoon showers in place. The highest probability for these showers resides over the higher terrain of the central mountains and eastern highlands, though high-resolution models suggest a few could encroach upon the Snake Plain.

The primary short-term concern is the lingering cold. Clearer skies and a weakening trough will allow overnight temperatures to flirt with frost/freeze criteria through Friday morning. A Freeze Warning remains in effect for the Snake Plain and Arco Desert, as rural locations within these zones are expected to drop into the 28F to 32F range. One final night of light freeze potential is possible early Friday morning before temperatures moderate sufficiently to end frost/freeze concerns.

A ridge of high pressure will amplify over the Intermountain West beginning Friday, initiating a robust warming trend that will transition temperatures from near-normal to approximately 10 degrees above normal by Sunday and Monday. Mostly sunny skies and dry weather will prevail under this ridge through the first half of the weekend. By late Sunday into early next week, the pattern becomes increasingly unsettled as model ensembles support a new low tracking toward the Great Basin. While current guidance suggests the deepest moisture may stay south of eastern Idaho, the system is positioned close enough to introduce at least low-end precipitation chances across the area.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z THURSDAY/

Issued at 514 PM MDT Wed Apr 29 2026

VCSH at KSUN and KDIJ will diminish within the next few hours. Winds are still a bit elevated, with 15 to 18 kt gusts at all terminals except for KSUN. Winds will become light this evening and overnight, ranging 4 to 7 kts and variable at times. Tomorrow, winds are forecast to gust to around 20 kts at KPIH, KIDA, and KBYI. As for showers, CAMs show best chances in the higher terrain at KSUN and KDIJ again tomorrow as activity looks to remain outside of the eastern Magic Valley and Snake River Plain.

PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Freeze Warning from 3 AM to 9 AM MDT Thursday for IDZ052>054.