textproduct: Pocatello

KEY MESSAGES

- Fog and low clouds will continue to affect some areas through Thursday, especially during the overnight and morning periods, amid a continued quiet weather pattern for the region.

- A pattern shift is expected by Friday into the weekend with a trough moving through, which could clear out the daily fog and stratus. However, models continue to push back on precip chances into next week.

- Continued dry into next week with a warming trend likely

SHORT TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY/

Issued at 251 AM MST Thu Jan 22 2026

High pressure will continue through the period and our area will remain in northwest flow aloft. However, high pressure will weaken as our area is in between two low pressure systems. Models show a trough moving over our eastern areas late Friday into Saturday. Most of our area is clear currently, though stratus and patchy dense fog is forming back in across the Eastern Magic valley and up the Lower Snake plain early this morning. Expect erosion of this stratus again during the day again. Some stratus is expected to form again on Friday morning, though overall stratus will continue to erode and will likely be gone by late Saturday. Mid and upper level clouds on Friday will likely prevent any fog development Friday morning. Have continued to lower daytime temperatures due to stratus, especially for the Eastern Magic valley and the Lower Snake plain.

LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/

Issued at 117 PM MST Wed Jan 21 2026

The extended portion of the forecast remains generally uneventful into early next week with no high-imnpact weather systems expected. A weak impulse moving through the upper flow aloft could bring a low chance for some flurries across the higher terrain of the eastern highlands on Friday but that's about it on the precip front. High pressure will remain in control throughout the weekend and into early next week. This should result in a slight warming trend into the latter part of the weekend and early next week with lower valley temps returning to the upper 30s and lower 40s. THat being said, valley inversions could return, once again, which could wreck havoc on the temperature forecast once again. Overall though, expect quiet weather to continue into the last week of January.

AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z FRIDAY/

Issued at 1014 PM MST Wed Jan 21 2026

VFR conditions at 06Z but think with clear skies will see some fog and stratus develop overnight and early morning at BYI, PIH, IDA and DIJ. Kept SUN VFR through tomorrow evening. After the brief period of MVFR to IFR conditions at DIJ, BYI, PIH and IDA will return to VFR by 18Z Thursday. Low confidence in extent and severity of stratus and fog overnight tonight and Thursday morning. Winds remain light under high pressure.

AIR QUALITY

Issued at 117 PM MST Wed Jan 21 2026

We have extended the AIR STAGNATION ADVISORY out through Thursday for now. We really haven't seen any movement of poor air across the Pocatello area as well as across the Cache Valley, even with the flow more northerly and no longer directly under the ridge. Looks like this could improve during the day on Friday and into the weekend though with a weak system pushing through the region.

PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Air Stagnation Advisory until noon MST today for IDZ054-059.