textproduct: Pocatello

KEY MESSAGES

- Additional rain and snow, snow levels dropping to valley floors by Wednesday night.

- Winter weather advisories in effect in mountain regions tonight through Wednesday night.

- Turning sharply colder Wednesday evening through the remainder of the week.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/

Issued at 114 PM MST Tue Jan 6 2026

Series of upper level short waves will move through eastern Idaho with the main upper trof pushing into central Idaho by Thursday morning. Will see snow and rain ahead of this trof with a strong cold front moving through the state from 7 AM through noon. It will remain warm overnight tonight with lows above freezing in the majority of the Magic Valley and Snake River Plain with 20s in the mountains. Will be breezy tonight and Wednesday with 10 to 20 mph sustained winds in the Snake River Plain and gusts up to 30 mph. Highs Wednesday 30s mountains and upper 30s to lower 40s valleys. Winter Weather advisory in effect for Sawtooth and Sun Valley region tonight through Wednesday evening along with the Big Hole and Centennial Mountains. And an advisory starts Wednesday morning through Wednesday night for the Bear River Range and Caribou Range. Think there is at least a 50 percent chance of 6 inches or more with a significantly lower chance of a foot of accumulation. Snow levels will reach valley floors Wednesday night but expecting under an inch of snow in the Snake River Plain and Magic Valley but expecting to at least see a little snow fall in this near snowless winter in the low elevations. Lows Wednesday night mainly teens mountains and 20s valleys.

LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/

Issued at 114 PM MST Tue Jan 6 2026

Expect lingering snow showers Thursday as system exits to the east with light accumulations in the eastern mountains but minimal impacts. The light snow showers will continue Friday in the same region with northerly flow aloft ahead of upper level ridge along the Pacific coast. Saturday through Tuesday will see high pressure dominate at the surface with no precipitation expected. Expect inversion like conditions by the early portion of next week. High temperatures generally in the 20s and 30s Thursday through Sunday with some lower 40s possible by Tuesday mainly in higher elevations with the potential inversion. Lows single digits in to teens Thursday night through Saturday night then teens and 20s Sunday through Tuesday night. Will have strongest winds Thursday behind the cold front with a lot of 15 to 25 mph speeds then under ridge expecting very light winds Saturday through next Tuesday.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z THURSDAY/

Issued at 422 PM MST Tue Jan 6 2026

Most uncertainty tonight deals with KSUN and winds. Models are heavily favoring a west to southwest wind tonight, although there are some members that show an upvalley component at times as well. Expect that any shift to downvalley would be temporary tonight. Elsewhere breezy conditions likely at KIDA, KPIH and KDIJ tonight. Mainly dealing with vfr ceilings through the evening with mvfr conditions possibly developing late tonight or during the day on Wednesday when the front arrives. Looks more likely that DIJ will see IFR conditions with the snow late tonight into tomorrow morning.

PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Winter Weather Advisory from 5 AM Wednesday to 5 AM MST Thursday for IDZ060-063. Winter Weather Advisory until 11 PM MST Wednesday for IDZ064- 066-072-073.