995 FXUS65 KPIH 161029 AFDPIHArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pocatello ID 429 AM MDT Tue Sep 16 2025
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Limited precipitation chances today
- Dry weather for midweek until the weekend
- Warmer afternoon temperatures return under high pressure
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.SHORT TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... Issued at 200 AM MDT Tue Sep 16 2025
Early morning satellite imagery shows some mid/high level clouds across parts of the region, namely around Island Park and areas along the Wyoming border. These are in associated with an area of low pressure that pushed through the region yesterday. Local impacts from this feature are basically over aside from the lingering clouds and perhaps an isolated shower/storm chance around the Island Park area later today. Hi-res CAMs show this as the only area with any chance for precip today as the rest of eastern Idaho looks to remain dry. Skies should be clear for most of us today with light winds out of the N/NE today thanks to the cyclonic flow around the aforementioned low. Temperatures will be chilly to start the day with widespread 30s and 40s but should warm nicely into the upper 60s and lower 70s across the lower elevations.
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.LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... Issued at 103 PM MDT Mon Sep 15 2025
Wed through next Mon night. The upper level pattern is very weak through Sat in the western states, with the ridge sitting over the Great Basin. This should allow a warming with a dry pattern through that period. Afternoon temperatures continue to be above climatic normals for this time of year. The weak pattern means little to no wind with no feature moving through. The only fly in the ointment is that such a weak pattern could allow moist and unstable air from the Gulf of California to make its way into southern Idaho. However, the NBM is indicating precipitation probabilities at 10 percent of below for the moment.
On Sun, a very weak upper level trough moves through southern Canada for two clusters making up 49 percent of the solutions with 26 percent having this trough dig far enough south to perhaps bring clouds, precipitation, and unstable air. For Mon, about 40 percent of the solutions continue to have low pressure over some part of southern Canada. The end of this period has a much faster and more zonal flow that the weak flow of the first half. Thus the weather at the end may be more determined by the progression of shortwaves through this mean flow, and makes the forecast more uncertain for Sun and Mon. This risk falls out in the 10 to 25 percent range of probability, so the slight chance risk appears validated for now.
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.AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z WEDNESDAY/... Issued at 429 AM MDT Tue Sep 16 2025
VFR conditions expected through the period with light N/NE winds at most locations today as the region resides on the western side of an area of low pressure. Aside from perhaps some mid/high level clouds early, skies should clear further over the course of the day with mostly clear skies expected. Winds will generally be 10 knots or less through the period although some occasional higher gusts are possible.
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.FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 200 AM MDT Tue Sep 16 2025
A warming and dry pattern looks to take hold for the remainder of the work week with no rain chances expected until at least the weekend with high pressure in control of local weather. Temps will rise above climatic norms by the end of the week which will bring lower elevation RHs close to 15 percent by Friday but not expecting winds to be much of a concern. Isolated precip chances return to the forecast for the weekend with above normal temperatures looking likely into early next week.
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.PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None.
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SHORT TERM...McKaughan LONG TERM...Messick AVIATION...McKaughan FIRE WEATHER...McKaughan
NWS PIH Office Area Forecast Discussion