135
FXUS65 KPIH 241928
AFDPIH

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Pocatello ID
128 PM MDT Fri Apr 24 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Freeze Warning in effect for tonight and Saturday morning.

- Mix of rain and snow showers decreases this evening.

- A break from precipitation for most on Saturday and Saturday
  evening. Light precipitation returns late Saturday night and
  Sunday.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 128 PM MDT Fri Apr 24 2026

Satellite imagery shows shortwave dropping south through East
Idaho this afternoon, connected to deep upper low centered over
southeast Saskatchewan Canada. Area of showers working through
mainly the northeast third of the forecast area, with surface
wet bulbs supportive of rain/snow mix down to valley floors.
Convective instability decreases early evening, allowing showers
to diminish for the remainder of the overnight. Snow totals
even at elevation will be meager on a whole today, given the
spotty nature of the shower activity. The main impact will be
tonight with another round of Hard Freeze conditions with
overnight lows dropping below 28F across the entirety of the
Snake Plain growing region. Have already upgraded the FREEZE
WATCH to a FREEZE WARNING for tonight.

East Idaho is in between shortwave features on Saturday,
keeping most shower activity relegated to higher elevations, and
daytime high temperatures should warm slightly despite the sub-
freezing lows. The next round of precipitation shifts into the
region overnight Saturday night from the south, pulled into the
region as the trough extends southwest into California. The
highest precipitation amounts should be in the southern and
eastern highlands through Sunday night. Snow levels should range
between 6000 and 7000 ft elevation, and the Bear River Range
could see the highest snow accumulations 3-6". Elsewhere,
accumulations are expected to remain minimal.

For the work week, expect unsettled conditions to continue,
though there is a decreasing trend in precipitation chances
beyond Tuesday as the main Canadian low fills and shifts east.
Ensemble clusters still having a difficult time resolving
pattern later in the week. Overall pattern remains a split flow
with low/trough of California coast and ridge in northern stream
flow along coast. The differences lie in how amplified the
northern stream ridge is as it tries to shift east, and how well
the southern stream trough breaks down as it also moves inland.
NBM appears to favor East Idaho coming under the influence of
the northern stream ridge, with mostly dry conditions in the
latter half of the work week, along with temperatures warming
back into the mid to upper 60s.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY/...
Issued at 1218 PM MDT Fri Apr 24 2026

Continuing to see clouds rotating through the broad base of an
large upper level trough. Starting to see some showers
developing which could pose brief impacts to KPIH, KIDA and KDIJ
over the next few hours. Localized MVFR/IFR reductions will be
possible with rain or snow. KSUN and KBYI should avoid any
issues with precip and have begun to see some clearing already.
Expecting skies to continue clearing later this evening and into
the overnight from west to east with VFR expected at all sites
by later this evening and certainly into the day Saturday.
Breezy winds continue this afternoon, namely at KBYI and to a
lesser extent KPIH, but these should become more light and
variable regionwide as we move into the evening and this too
will continue into Saturday.

&&

.PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Freeze Warning from 9 PM this evening to 10 AM MDT Saturday
for IDZ051>055.

&&

$$

DISCUSSION...DMH
AVIATION...Messick