536
FXUS65 KPIH 080934
AFDPIH

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Pocatello ID
234 AM MST Wed Jan 8 2025

.SHORT TERM...Today and Thursday. Pockets of stratus and dense
freezing fog are persistent across the Magic Valley and a few
spots across the southeast and eastern highlands. The current
trends show stratus and any potential fog already pushing back up
the Snake Plain and that trend is expected throughout the day.
Meanwhile, we are still looking for a weak system to push across
the state through tonight. This will produce some light showers
across portions of the central mountains, eastern and southeast
highlands. We are also expecting some potential "seeder feeder"
snow/flurries from the stratus deck as this system passes. The
stratus deck looks to remain entrenched across the Snake Plain and
Magic Valley tomorrow morning, along with pockets developing for
some valleys across the eastern and southeast highlands...as well
as the Stanley Basin. With the inversion in place, expect places
that remain under the inversion (especially portions of the Snake
Plain where low clouds remain) to not get out of the low/mid 20s.
The greatest variability for temperatures across the Plain are in
the Pocatello area out across Craters. This is due to uncertainty
on how much south/southwest wind develops. The current forecast
has mid 20s to near freezing in that corridor. If we don`t see
much wind or stratus remains really locked in, we may easily be 5
or so degrees to warm. Keyes

.LONG TERM...Friday through Wednesday.
Upper level ridge pushes east Friday and after a dry morning a
Pacific system will drop southeast and spread light snow into the
central mountains Friday afternoon and will spread east Friday
evening into Saturday.  Will have widespread snow with the heaviest
amounts expected to be in the eastern mountains where likely amounts
are in the 2 to 4 inch range with mountain passes a lesser chance of
6 inches.  Around an inch is expected in the Snake River Plain with
a trace to 2 inches in the central mountains.  Significant impacts
are not expected but do expect some travel issues Friday and
Saturday in the eastern mountains.  Will have snow showers  in
northerly flow aloft continuing Sunday behind the system but only
minimal accumulations expected.  Will see dry conditions most likely
Monday through Wednesday as an upper level ridge folds over Idaho.
The long term period will feature near normal to slightly below
temperatures with highs mainly in the 20s to lower 30s and lows
generally teens and 20s Friday and Saturday night with more cloud
cover with some single digits in mountain valleys.  Will then have
single digits above and below zero to lower teens Sunday night
through Wednesday night.  Saturday will be breeziest day behind the
Pacific system with some 10 to 15 mph sustained winds.
GK

&&

.AVIATION...
Stratus has worked up the valley today with MVFR to IFR conditions
present at BYI and PIH and may reach IDA as well.  Expect ceilings
to lift this afternoon with models indicating a return of stratus to
TAF sites excluding SUN overnight tonight.  Winds expected to remain
under 10 knots through Thursday.
GK

&&

.PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
None.
&&

$$