textproduct: Pocatello

KEY MESSAGES

- Red Flag Warning for the Central Mountains this afternoon due to low relative humidity and breezy winds. Red Flag Warning likely Monday as well.

- Very small chance for an isolated (virga) shower or storm this afternoon, mainly in the South Hills, very similar to yesterday.

- Wildfire smoke will continue to impact the area on and off for the next few days. Expect decreased air quality at times with an air quality advisory remaining in effect for Custer County.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 156 PM MDT Sun Aug 9 2026

Short term impacts will again be some air quality issues with smoke persisting throughout all of southeast Idaho to some extent. Will remain very hot through Tuesday with low elevation highs remaining in the 90s but think triple digit highs are done for now. Will have some convective activity but very isolated this afternoon and evening and Monday mainly in the southern mountains. Afternoons both today and Monday will be breezy with widespread 20 to 30 mph gusts especially on Monday afternoon. Other issue will be a pattern change expected Wednesday through next weekend with wetter and cooler conditions expected. Have much higher chance of showers and thunderstorms Thursday through Sunday. High temperatures are expected to be well below normal as well mid week through next weekend for a change as well. Mainly 70s and 80s with some days in the 60s mountains.

AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z MONDAY/

Issued at 1118 AM MDT Sun Aug 9 2026

Main impact remains smoke visibility restrictions. It will occasionally drop to 4 statute miles or 5 at SUN, BYI, and IDA. Have some tempo groups down to 5 at SUN, IDA and BYI. PIH kept at 6. VFR sky conditions will remain with some scattered to broken mid and high level clouds. For now kept any vicinity showers or thunderstorms out of the TAFs. AFternoon wind gusts of 20 to 25 knots likely at IDA, PIH, SUN, and DIJ.

FIRE WEATHER

Issued at 106 PM MDT Sun Aug 9 2026

Elevated fire weather conditions will persist through the first part of this week due to the combination of critical minimum RH values and gusty winds. Winds continue to be marginal across much of the region with higher confidence in winds reaching critical thresholds tomorrow with gusts to 25 to 30 mph across Fire Weather Zones 410, 425, 475, and 476. A RED FLAG WARNING will be issued for the aforementioned Fire Weather Zones upon the expiration of today's RFW for Zones 475 and 476. We anticipate more isolated pockets of Red Flag conditions to materialize elsewhere, as well.

A deepening trough along the Pacific coast will continue to gradually flatten the ridge of high pressure over Idaho, resulting in a gradual cool-down through late this week. Daytime highs will return to around normal by the middle of this week, turning cooler than normal late week. Monsoon moisture will return for the latter half of this week, raising humidities above critical threshold beginning Wednesday.

AIR QUALITY

Issued at 209 AM MDT Sat Aug 8 2026

An Air Quality Advisory remains in effect for Custer County through Monday afternoon due to air quality expected to remain in the "moderate" to "unhealthy for sensitive groups" categories.

PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Air Quality Alert until 3 PM MDT Monday for IDZ068>074. Red Flag Warning until 9 PM MDT this evening for IDZ475-476.