textproduct: Pocatello

KEY MESSAGES

- Light snow lingering through tomorrow

- High pressure builds bringing mostly dry weather next week

- Gusty winds die down through the rest of today

UPDATE

Issued at 435 PM MST Thu Jan 8 2026

Wind Advisory was allowed to expire as wind has fallen below thresholds.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/

Issued at 1144 AM MST Thu Jan 8 2026

We continue to watch snow shifting across the I-15 corridor and into the eastern and southeast highlands this afternoon. For the rest of today and tomorrow, a few snow showers are expected across portions of the central mountains, eastern and southeast highlands. There could be a couple of short periods where we get light upslope snow from Pocatello through Rexburg, but that may end up being nothing more than some flurries. We do have some wind out there, but that continues to decrease into this evening. The strongest will remain across portions of the Magic Valley south into the South Hills and Albion Mountains. We will keep the WIND ADVISORY out through late afternoon. Elsewhere, the wind has been strong enough to create some slick spots and blowing/drifting conditions. There will be some linger pockets of stronger gusts tonight and Friday, but nothing too strong. It still might be enough though for limited blowing and drifting snow. The potential of fog is there, although the Blend of Models really has nothing for tonight and a better potential tomorrow night. We did go ahead and include patchy fog across most of the Snake Plain and Magic Valley and toward Monida Pass and Island Park tonight. We have more widespread fog tomorrow night which includes the Teton Valley and other valleys across the eastern and southeast highlands. We also suspect there could be some fog in the Stanley Basin both nights, and went ahead with including that in the forecast. It may end up that there is too much mixing out there to allow anything to form, and lighter winds tomorrow night are more favorable for that to occur.

LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/

Issued at 1144 AM MST Thu Jan 8 2026

Dry and more tranquil conditions are expected for the weekend and into early next week as a ridge of high pressure builds over the region. This should lead to quiet weather across eastern Idaho with the only concern being the potential for some valley inversions and maybe some patchy fog in areas with snowpack and/or melting snow keeping the lower levels moist. Temperatures will moderate gradually through mid-week with mostly dry weather prevailing, through some occasional precip chances appear possible mainly along the Divide and over towards Island Park as some limited moisture may be able to move on the northern periphery of the ridge. Most of the moisture looks to stay north of the region however based on recent model trends so these PoP chances would be rather low. Temperatures will remain on the warm side of normal through the period, by around 5 degrees for the weekend, but warm closer to 10 degrees above normal by the middle of next week as this generally mild winter continues across eastern Idaho.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z SATURDAY/

Issued at 435 PM MST Thu Jan 8 2026

Wind has subsided and showers are nearly done, with perhaps another 2 hours in the eastern two airdromes, KIDA and KDIJ. Wind will subside everywhere but KBYI, which will actually help KBYI stay VFR in the morning. Northwest wind will keep KSUN with unlimited CIG and VSBY. The dicey terminals will be KIDA and KPIH, where BR/FG is now a threat with skies clearing aloft and plenty of moisture on the ground to evaporate then cool, especially with light wind. The NBM guidance also wants to develop stratus in the afternoon for both KIDA and KPIH, however, more usual is morning stratus being evaporated and have gone with that, but only to marginal VRF conditions for CIGs. Finally KDIJ, marginal VFR conditions due to CIG should continue on and off, with both the available deterministic and NBM guidance indicating afternoon stratus here.

PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.