Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Pocatello, ID
Issued by NWS Pocatello, ID
907 FXUS65 KPIH 221941 AFDPIH Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pocatello ID 141 PM MDT Wed May 22 2024 .SHORT TERM...Tonight and Thursday Unsettled weather will continue across the region throughout the remainder of the day as an upper low centered over eastern WA this afternoon continues to dip down into the region. Clouds, showers and some thunderstorms out ahead of the low will continue to impact the region with the best rain chances expected over the next 12 hours or so. Winds continue to be quite gusty across the Arco Desert and Upper Snake Plain where a wind advisory continues until 8PM and a Lake Wind Advisory continues for the American Falls Reservoir through that time as well. Convective parameters today aren`t overly impressive but are certainly supportive of some thunderstorm potential and maybe some gusty winds and small hail with the strongest of storms. Temperatures look to get chilly once again tonight and yet another Frost Advisory is out for the growing regions of eastern Idaho. Some rural spots may flirt with, or drop below, the freezing mark for a brief period. By daybreak Thursday, the low will be centered over eastern Idaho and we can expect clouds and precip to linger for much of the first half of the day. As it pushes east throughout the day, we`ll gradually get a bit more clearing and diminishing PoPs from west to east across the region. Temperatures will remain well below normal however throughout the day with most spots in the 50s, 40s in the eastern highlands, some 15+ degrees below normal for late May. Another chilly start to the day Friday appears likely with another frost advisory possible. McKaughan .LONG TERM...Friday through Wednesday The first half of Friday looks dry, with a slow increase of showers and potential thunderstorms. For the Memorial Day Weekend, Saturday looks the wettest. Rain with accumulating snow possible above 8000ft is expected. Heading into Sunday, snow levels drop to 6000-7000ft in the morning on the back side of the low. Additional moisture accumulation will be much lower. Memorial Day itself looks dry. Valley locations should see light amounts, but if you are heading to the mountains...look for 0.10-0.40" with a couple of inches of wet snow on the higher peaks and ridges. Eventually a ridge builds and shifts east, allowing for moisture to slowly return through the middle of next week. Keyes && .AVIATION... We will continue to watch for multiple rounds of showers and in the next 24 hours. The potential is there for a few thunderstorms today and under the center of the low tomorrow. We will also continue with gusty winds outside of any showers and storms, 20-30kts and peaking 40-45kt is some posts. This is for IDA, PIH, and BYI. Gusts should peak at 15-25kts at DIJ, and a bit lower at SUN. We should overall VFR throughout, with drops to MVFR/IFR if we get a heavier shower or storm to move over a particular airport. Keyes && .HYDROLOGY... River levels continue to quickly drop on the Portneuf River at Pocatello and the flood warning was cancelled earlier today. Levels remain elevated near Topaz but should continue to drop over the week ahead and the flood advisory there was also canceled. && .PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Frost Advisory from 2 AM to 9 AM MDT Thursday for IDZ051>055. Wind Advisory until 8 PM MDT this evening for IDZ052-053. && $$