textproduct: Pocatello

KEY MESSAGES

- Cold front brings breezy winds and showers through the overnight. - Mostly dry weather returns before another system brings cooler temperatures and showers Friday through the weekend.

- Outdoor Halloween activities look to be unsettled and chilly.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 120 PM MDT Mon Oct 26 2026

Satellite imagery shows a shortwave feature pushing through Oregon today, bringing a combination of wind and precipitation to East Idaho late this afternoon into early Tuesday. Gusty winds will increase this afternoon and evening through the overnight hours as an associated cold front pushes through the region. Widespread gusts of 30 to 40 mph are expected, though probabilistic high-end guidance indicates a few locations could briefly gust over 50 mph, mainly across portions of the Southern Sawtooth and Raft River regions. Travel impacts due to gusty crosswinds should remain localized to Interstate 84 from the I-84/I-86 split south to the Utah state line. We will continue to hold off on a Wind Advisory given the localized footprint of the strongest gusts and less-favorable overnight timing.

Light precipitation already evident on radar across western Idaho is poised to overspread the Central Mountains through the remainder of the afternoon, quickly shifting east this evening and overnight as a mix of valley rain and mountain snow. An isolated thunderstorm remains possible late this afternoon and early evening. Precipitation totals remain in line with previous guidance, generally under 0.10 inches in the valleys and up to 0.25 inches across higher terrain, especially along the Continental Divide and eastern highlands. Snow levels drop to around 6,000 feet overnight, allowing higher basins to pick up a light dusting. Confidence remains low for any valley snow accumulations below 6,000 feet, though a few flurries may mix in early Tuesday morning.

The upper trough ejects northeast early Tuesday, but East Idaho remains under broad troughing over the Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies. While a few isolated higher-elevation showers may linger on Tuesday, a drying and slight warming trend will take hold through Thursday. For the late-week system, ensemble means depict a closed low off the Pacific Northwest coast Friday transitioning into an open trough over the Intermountain West by Sunday. Despite persistent cluster spread regarding the exact depth and track, East Idaho looks to remain on the forward flank of the trough, supporting continued rounds of valley rain and mountain snow showers through the weekend with generally light liquid amounts.

AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY/

Issued at 1021 AM MDT Mon Oct 26 2026

Clouds continue to increase ahead of our next storm, which will have a short impact central and eastern Idaho. We will showers develop later in the afternoon and quickly move east through this evening, clearing DIJ not too long after midnight. We do expect VFR/MVFR conditions with this area of showers. There a low chance (20% or less) we see isolated thunderstorms, but will leave that out of any particular TAF for the moment. It will be breezy ahead and behind the cold front. We will need to watch for any low clouds lingering behind this band of precipitation. Right now, we just are keeping coverage at scattered for any potential MVFR/IFR ceiling decks.

FIRE WEATHER

Issued at 249 AM MDT Mon Oct 26 2026

Look for increasing wind gusts today ahead of and behind the cold front passage. By mid afternoon, wind gusts will be 20-30 mph across much of the area with 30-40 mph gusts across the Snake River Plain and across the Arco Desert overnight into Tuesday with some locally higher gusts to 45 mph at times. It will remain breezy through Tuesday. With the cold front, rain chances return as early as this afternoon in the Central Mountains and spread eastward through the evening and overnight. QPF will range from 0.05-0.15" with higher totals in the mountains and some parts of the eastern Magic Valley and South Hills seeing little to no precipitation at all. Any snow accumulation of a few inches generally remains above 6500 ft with less than an inch between 6000 and 6500 ft. Highs range from mid 50s to mid 60s today and will be about 10 degrees colder for tomorrow.

PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.