196
FXUS65 KPIH 311103
AFDPIH

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Pocatello ID
403 AM MST Wed Dec 31 2025

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Dry Weather Through This Evening

- Rain and Snow Moves In After Midnight To Ring In 2026

- Temperatures Remain Above Average

&&

.SHORT TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/...
Issued at 1250 AM MST Wed Dec 31 2025

Dry conditions remain through midnight, long enough to help ring
in 2026 on a decent note. Highs will be in the 40s where we can
"mix out" today and within any inversion layer...with 30s
elsewhere. A few flurries or some light snow is possible
beginning just after midnight across the South Hills, Albion
Mountains, and southeast highlands. The potential for light snow
spreads slowly north by sunrise. Most of any measurable snow
would be south of the Snake Plain and Magic Valley, although we
could see it moving as far north as Shoshone to Wayan. We will
precipitation rapidly spread north on New Year`s Day. Snow
levels by late evening will be in the 6000-8000ft range,
although it appears there will be a pocket of cold air across
the far northern end of the Snake Plain...which may allow for
light snow or flurries to linger into tomorrow night. The bulk
of the moisture with this round should fall across the South
Hills/Albion Mountains, southeast and eastern highlands...with
some extension of that along the 15/84/86 corridor. Lower
elevations should see up to 0.25" of moisture in those areas.
Higher elevations should see 0.20-0.50" with amounts approaching
0.75" across higher elevations of the Bear River Range. Those
ranges fit nicely with probability forecasts and ranges.
Elsewhere, look for anywhere from a couple of hundredths to
0.15" with locally higher amounts across the Sawtooths, where
there is a 35-45% chance of more than 0.25". Snowfall amounts
are pretty light in most areas. We aren`t expecting much
accumulation across the Snake Plain and Magic Valley, although
with colder air hanging on across portions of the upper end of
the Plain...we could see accumulations trying to reach 1". There
is a very short window with a pretty low potential of light
freezing rain or drizzle here, but not enough to actually put in
the forecast. Even if we something like that to occur, any
impacts would be pretty limited before it goes to snow and
eventually rain. Elsewhere, little to no snow down low with a
couple of inches in the mountains are possible. The exception is
the Bear River Range where 3-6" is possible, with some impacts
possible across Emigration Summit on ID-36.

&&

.LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
Issued at 102 PM MST Tue Dec 30 2025

Will be drier late in day Friday under ridging then
southwesterly flow aloft returns with precipitation moving back
in on Saturday with at least a chance in the girds Saturday
through next Tuesday. Snow levels remain over 6 thousand feet
into Saturday then dropping closer to 5 thousand feet Sunday
into early next week. Highs Saturday mid to upper 40s valleys
and mid 30s to lower 40s mountains. Highs Sunday through Tuesday
in the 30s mountains and upper 30s to lower 40s valleys. Lows
Friday and Saturday very warm with 20s mountains and 30s valleys
with many locations above freezing. Lows Sunday through Tuesday
teens to lower 20s mountains and 20s to lower 30s valleys.

&&

.AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY/...
Issued at 401 AM MST Wed Dec 31 2025

VFR conditions should persist through this TAF period, even with
increasing clouds. There is a small chance some light snow moves
into PIH and/or BYI before 12z New Year`s Day, but most likely
holding off until later in the morning.

&&

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

&&

$$

SHORT TERM...Keyes
LONG TERM...GK
AVIATION...Keyes