340 
FXUS65 KPIH 122113
AFDPIH

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Pocatello ID
213 PM MST Tue Feb 12 2019

.SHORT TERM..Today through Thursday night. Weak high pressure is 
currently over our area bringing dry conditions and relatively light 
winds. Moisture will start reaching our western borders later this 
afternoon and continue through Friday as a significant moist Pacific 
system moves into our area. Have issued advisories and warnings for 
most of our area through Thursday morning for the first round of 
this storm bringing moderate to high snow amounts and moderate to 
high South Southwest winds. The first round will be cold enough for 
snow for all areas and start gradually warming up by late Wednesday 
night into Thursday morning. Additional advisories/warnings will 
likely be needed for Thursday into Friday morning but will likely be 
for elevations above 4500 to 5000 feet. Snow levels will gradually 
rise Wednesday afternoon into Thursday. Moisture from a warm front 
will move through the area mainly Thursday afternoon into early 
Thursday evening. Expect rain on snow below around 4800 feet 
Thursday afternoon of .25 to .50. A hydrologic outlook has been 
issued for the lower Snake River plain and Eastern Magic Valley for 
the potential of ponding of water in low lying areas. The next cold 
front will move through Friday morning dropping temperatures below 
freezing again. Wyatt

.LONG TERM...Friday through next Tuesday. Weather will continue to 
be unsettled with the positioning of a broad upper trough over the 
western US/East Pacific. The main trough axis will move slowly 
eastward through the period with models developing a cutoff low on 
Sunday over OR/CA. The first time period of concern will be Friday 
late morning to afternoon with a cold front pushing through the 
area. This will likely bring brief heavy snowfall along the front, 
as well as some strong wind gusts producing blowing snow. The front 
will pass through late Friday, snow remains likely through Saturday 
as the upper low cuts off over western Oregon. We may see generally 
lighter snow accumulations on Sunday while precipitation becomes 
concentrated around the developing upper low, however we may see 
some influence from upper troughing to our northwest. This upper 
trough will eventually push through southeast Idaho by Tuesday, so 
our weather throughout the day Monday will be focused around that 
upper feature. Hinsberger

&&

.AVIATION...Most of our moisture has shifted northward for the day, 
and we should see widespread VFR conditions. We will see a short 
wave drop in from the northwest, and will impact KSUN first starting 
around 00Z to 04Z tonight. Light snow may begin there shortly after 
00Z tonight based on high-res models. KSUN will likely spend much of 
the morning hours tomorrow below minimums. Elsewhere, KBYI and KPIH 
will see at least IFR conditions as the snow band moves through, 
though some downslope flow will mitigate some of the impacts. Onset 
at KIDA and KDIJ will be between 07Z and 10Z. Hinsberger


&&

.PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Winter Weather Advisory from 5 AM Wednesday to 5 AM MST Thursday 
for IDZ051>057-059-068.

Winter Storm Warning until 11 PM MST Wednesday for IDZ071>075.

Winter Storm Warning from 5 AM Wednesday to 5 AM MST Thursday 
for IDZ058-060>067.

&&

$$