textproduct: Pocatello

KEY MESSAGES

- System today will bring light snow accumulations to parts of eastern Idaho.

- Warming trend will continue through the weekend, with little significant precipitation in sight Thursday onward.

- Rebuilding ridge of high pressure could provide renewed bouts of low clouds and fog at times this coming week. Confidence in this is low though.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/

Issued at 156 AM MST Wed Jan 28 2026

Early morning satellite shows clouds filtering into Idaho in southwest flow ahead of the approaching trough. The trough axis is expected to shift through this afternoon and evening, with westerly winds becoming breezier. The strongest gusts of 20 to 30 mph are forecast in the South Hills region, with gusts expected to range closer to 15 to 25 mph elsewhere. The most active day of the forecast period will be today, as light snow is anticipated for a good portion of Southeast Idaho. The bulk of precipitation will fall in the mountains and mid-elevations south and east of the Snake River Plain. Forecast snow totals are generally less than an inch below 6,000 feet and up to 3 inches above, with locally higher totals in the highest elevations and only half an inch or less of accumulation forecast along I-15 and US-20 from Pocatello north to St. Anthony. Daytime temperatures will run several degrees cooler under increased cloud cover but will quickly recover Thursday.

LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/

Issued at 114 PM MST Tue Jan 27 2026

High pressure will be building back in over Eastern Idaho on Thursday behind the weak shortwave on Wednesday. There may still be some light snow lingering in parts of the Eastern Highlands early Thursday, but it looks like little if any accumulation by that point. Temperatures will be gradually warming as we end the week and go through the weekend with highs ranging from mid 30s to mid 40s by Friday afternoon and most into the 40s if not pushing closer to 50 by Sunday afternoon. In fact, the NBM shows about a 50 to 60 percent chance of Pocatello exceeding 50 degrees on Sunday and shows a 70 to 90 percent chance of highs exceeding 50 degrees from Rockland to Burley to Malta. Another weak shortwave compresses the ridge ever so slightly late Friday into Saturday, but that looks to only translate into some light snow for the higher elevations of the Central Mountains and Eastern Highlands once again before high pressure is solidly back in place for the rest of the weekend. Highs will drop just a couple of degrees early next week as yet another weak shortwave passes through the area, but this one again looks to just bring light snow to our mountains and little to no precipitation elsewhere. We will keep an eye on these shortwaves as the NBM seems to not have the best handle on these until almost 24 hours beforehand.

AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z THURSDAY/

Issued at 1010 PM MST Tue Jan 27 2026

Upper level wave moving through Idaho on Wednesday and expect some snow to develop late morning through early afternoon and have prob30 groups at PIH, IDA, BYI and SUN beginning in the 16 through 20Z time frame with MVFR ceilings at least a possibility and kept the ceilings at IDA and PIH through 06Z but have BYI VFR. Went with predominant snow at DIJ at 21Z and visibility between 3 and 5 miles through 06Z. Dropped ceilings to IFR by 04Z. Expect around 10 knot up valley winds at BYI, PIH and IDA on Wednesday.

PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.