FXUS65 KPIH 210854

AFDPIH



Area Forecast Discussion

National Weather Service Pocatello ID

254 AM MDT Sat Mar 21 2026



.KEY MESSAGES...



- A few more record highs today, then cooler Sunday behind the

  cold front.



- Breezy afternoon winds with gusts of 30-40 mph. Windy across 

  the Arco Desert, with patchy blowing dust.



- Warming up again early next week.



&&



.DISCUSSION...

Issued at 248 AM MDT Sat Mar 21 2026



The ridge of high pressure we've been under for most of this week 

begins to move eastward today as troughing moves through Idaho and a 

cold front sweeps across Eastern Idaho. Ahead of that cold front, we 

will likely set a few more record highs, given that most of our 

current records are in the low 70s and there is about a 90 percent 

chance for Burley, Pocatello, and Idaho Falls to exceed 72 degrees. 

With FROPA, we're also expecting some gusty winds. The WIND ADVISORY 

remains in place across the Arco Desert for this afternoon where 

wind gusts are expected to be the strongest, around 40 to 50 mph. 

There's about a 30 to 50 percent chance that gusts there will exceed 

50 mph. There's a similar chance of gusts reaching 50 mph in the 

terrain east of the Idaho Falls area, but given that the I-15 

corridor only has about a 20 percent chance of reaching gusts of 50 

mph, did not add that zone to the Advisory. It will be borderline 

though, and would not be shocked if a few gusts there DID briefly 

reach Advisory criteria. Even sustained winds across the Arco Desert 

will be in the 25 to 35 mph range today. Blowing dust is also in the 

forecast for the portion of I-15 from near Shelley to near Hamer, 

though it is not expected to be like what we saw last week when we 

had those gusts of 50 to 70 mph. This cold front comes through 

mostly dry, too, with only slight precipitation chances (around 20 

percent) in the Central Mountains and Eastern Highlands.



Behind the cold front, temperatures will be about 10 degrees cooler 

for Sunday afternoon, generally ranging from the mid 50s in our 

higher elevation towns to low 60s throughout the Snake River Plain. 

We begin to warm up right away again under weak ridging, with highs 

back in the 70s for Tuesday and Wednesday. Another cold front is 

expected to pass through mid week, taking highs from near 70 on 

Wednesday to near 60 on Thursday. This front looks to be another dry 

one, too.



&&



.AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z SUNDAY/...

Issued at 1001 PM MDT Fri Mar 20 2026



Winds should be light through the night. Expect gusts to 30kts 

at PIH and IDA tomorrow afternoon. SUN will most likely switch 

from downvalley to a westerly crosswind tomorrow afternoon with 

the front bearing down on them.



&&



.PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...

Wind Advisory from noon today to 8 PM MDT this evening for 

IDZ052.



&&



$$



DISCUSSION...AMM

AVIATION...13