Tracking gusty winds with warmer temps ahead of a stout cold front and big temperature drop by Sunday

A Red Flag Warning is in effect today from noon until 8 p.m. across the Upper Snake Plain, Idaho National Laboratory and Idaho Falls Bureau of Land Management areas as warm, dry and windy weather creates heightened wildfire danger.

A potent cold front driven by a Pacific Northwest trough will bring a sharp temperature drop across the Snake River Plain from the 80s into the 60s on Sunday, along with rain and high-elevation mountain snow over the weekend.

High pressure in the region is weakening as the approaching trough moves inland. Temperatures in Idaho Falls are expected to reach 83 degrees today before dropping to near 63 degrees on Sunday following the cold front passage.

Widespread relative humidity will fall below 15% on Thursday afternoon, combined with southwest wind gusts around 30 mph. The strongest winds are expected near the Arco Desert and Idaho National Laboratory. Valley winds will range from 15 to 20 mph with gusts near 30 mph. Temperatures Thursday night will drop into the 40s and 50s under mostly clear skies.

Warm and breezy conditions will continue on Friday with valley temperatures around 80 degrees and wind gusts reaching the 30s. Saturday will bring a final surge of summer heat, pushing lower elevation temperatures back into the low-to-mid 80s before the arrival of the cold front. Cloud cover and wind will increase late Saturday, with rain chances developing overnight in northern areas.

The stronger cold front will move through the region late Saturday into Sunday, bringing increased precipitation chances to the Central Mountains, Continental Divide, Island Park and western Wyoming. Snow levels will drop behind the front, creating the potential for snow at elevations above 8,000 feet across higher peaks in central Idaho and western Wyoming. In valley locations such as Jackson, Wyo., precipitation is expected primarily as rain alongside sharply cooler temperatures.

High pressure is forecasted to return on Monday, bringing drier weather and a gradual warming trend into next week.

Jeff Roper, First Alert Weather