Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Pocatello, ID
Issued by NWS Pocatello, ID
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781 FXUS65 KPIH 181102 AFDPIH Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pocatello ID 402 AM MST Tue Nov 18 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - Showery weather continues throughout the week with low confidence in timing and amount for any location. - Cooler temperatures but still above climatic normals for the time of year through the period. && .SHORT TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... Issued at 401 AM MST Tue Nov 18 2025 Satellite this morning shows a wide range of cloud heights and we continue to monitor for any fog formation and associated impacts. Two cutoff lows will shift further inland today, with one tracking along the US-CA border and the other southeast along the CA coast. While conditions will largely remain dry over Southeast Idaho, South/Southwest flow aloft today will advect weak moisture from the southern low and keep chances for high elevation showers in the forecast through the first part of the day today. Heading further into the afternoon and evening hours, models show moisture signals remaining further north and south of us. We will begin to see clouds scattering later today, allowing daytime highs to reach around 10 degrees above climatological norms, warming into the 50s across most of our valleys and 30s and 40s in the mountains and mid- elevations/mountain valleys, respectively. With less cloud cover overhead tonight, overnight lows will run several degrees cooler tonight with widespread 20s and 30s areawide. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... Issued at 223 PM MST Mon Nov 17 2025 The extended portion of the forecast remains unsettled but also fairly low-impact as the upper flow aloft looks to remain split across our part of the country. Models show a couple of cutoff lows moving into California from mid week and into the weekend while most moisture stays clear of eastern Idaho. Still could see some isolated high elevation showers at some point but models seem to be going back and forth with this. Temperatures will remain on the warmer side of normal by around 5 degrees. This equates to upper 40s and low 50s for highs in the valleys but there is still a decent spread within the model guidance so things could still fluctuate a bit over the days ahead. Either way, not seeing any high impact systems between now and early next week. && .AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z WEDNESDAY/... Issued at 1019 PM MST Mon Nov 17 2025 Gradually improving/lifting/thinning cigs are forecast for KPIH, KIDA, and KBYI tonight and Tuesday, with winds remaining under 7kts. There will be quite a bit of low-level moisture in place given cooler temperatures and recent rain/showers...right now guidance is not biting off on fog formation (with good agreement actually), but will need to keep an eye especially on KIDA in case some combination of fog and/or low stratus tries to develop for awhile overnight into Tuesday morning. Confidence remains somewhat low at KSUN for the first half of the forecast period...MOS guidance (which usually does well with their wind direction) is still suggesting a possible switch to the usual northwest nocturnal down-valley flow imminently, and while the switch hasn`t occurred yet at the airport, vsbys and cigs continue to improve regardless. Still seems likely VFR conditions will rule the rest of the night, although watching T/Td spreads as the surface remains near 100% saturation for now... perhaps until the NW wind kicks in and nudges things drier. As far as moisture goes, KDIJ is the winner, and we maintain borderline MVFR cigs overnight and Tuesday morning there in the Teton Valley. There are mixed signals in our various sources of guidance on fog and low stratus potential, but suspect things will remain quite saturated following long-duration rainfall today. Maintain 6SM BR VCFG for now from 08-17z/1-10am Tuesday with SCT008, and we`ll need to monitor trends for any needed amendments for greater impacts. There is a 30% chance of IFR conditions due to cigs, vsbys, or both. && .PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && $$ SHORT TERM...Cropp LONG TERM...McKaughan AVIATION...01