Alert archive / Idaho / Red Flag Warnings in 2026
Red Flag Warning 21, NWS Pocatello, ID
NWS Pocatello, ID issued this red flag warning at Aug 12, 2026, 1:30 PM MDT for 25 counties in Idaho. It took effect at Aug 13, 2026, 12:00 PM MDT. It was in force for 9 hr. 2 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.
The facts
- Issued
- Aug 12, 2026, 1:30 PM MDT (19:30 UTC)
- In effect from
- Aug 13, 2026, 12:00 PM MDT
- Expired
- Aug 13, 2026, 9:00 PM MDT
- In force
- 9 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Pocatello, ID
All 25 counties
Bannock County, ID, Bear Lake County, ID, Bingham County, ID, Blaine County, ID, Boise County, ID, Bonneville County, ID, Butte County, ID, Caribou County, ID, Cassia County, ID, Clark County, ID, Custer County, ID, Franklin County, ID, Fremont County, ID, Idaho County, ID, Jefferson County, ID, Jerome County, ID, Lemhi County, ID, Lincoln County, ID, Madison County, ID, Minidoka County, ID, Oneida County, ID, Power County, ID, Teton County, ID, Twin Falls County, ID, Valley County, ID
The radar
The Pocatello radar (KSFX), 49 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:31 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.
Open the radar archive at this moment
The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 13, 1:20 PM MDT | FLASH FLOOD | 3 Nw Poplar, ID | Snake River Road washed out and has debris over it in locations due to rapid runoff from the Big Rock burn scar. |
| Aug 13, 1:35 PM MDT | FLASH FLOOD | 2 Nnw Poplar, ID | East Heise Road closed east of the Heise bridge to Kelly Canyon Road due to water, mud and debris inundating the approach to the bridge area. Multiple locations have water and mud over the road from rapid runoff from the recent Big Rock burn scar. |
Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.
The nearest sounding before it
Salt Lake City I, UT (KSLC), launched 12:00Z, 7.5 hours before the alert went out and 310 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 10 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -95 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 2083 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 41 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- -65 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 130 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- -0.2
The text
As transmitted.
289 WWUS85 KPIH 121930 RFWPIH URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Pocatello ID 130 PM MDT Wed Aug 12 2026 ...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS THURSDAY DUE TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS... IDZ410-411-413-422-425-427-475-476-132100- /O.NEW.KPIH.FW.W.0021.260813T1800Z-260814T0300Z/ Upper Snake River Valley/Idaho Falls BLM- Centennial Mountains and Snake River Range/Targhee NF- Caribou Range/Caribou NF-Sawtooth Range/Northern Sawtooth NF- Middle Snake River Valley/Twin Falls BLM north of the Snake River- Goose Creek and Raft River Valley/Southern Sawtooth NF/Twin Falls BLM south of the Snake River- East Salmon River Mountains/Salmon NF- Lemhi and Lost River Range/Challis NF- 130 PM MDT Wed Aug 12 2026 ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 9 PM MDT THURSDAY FOR SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 410, 411, 413, 422, 425, 427, 475, AND 476... The National Weather Service in Pocatello has issued a Red Flag Warning for scattered thunderstorms, which is in effect from noon to 9 PM MDT Thursday. * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zone 410 Upper Snake River Valley/Idaho Falls BLM, Fire Weather Zone 411 Centennial Mountains and Snake River Range/Targhee NF, Fire Weather Zone 413 Caribou Range/Caribou NF, Fire Weather Zone 422 Sawtooth Range/Northern Sawtooth NF, Fire Weather Zone 425 Middle Snake River Valley/Twin Falls BLM north of the Snake River, Fire Weather Zone 427 Goose Creek and Raft River Valley/Southern Sawtooth NF/Twin Falls BLM south of the Snake River, Fire Weather Zone 475 East Salmon River Mountains/Salmon NF and Fire Weather Zone 476 Lemhi and Lost River Range/Challis NF. * IMPACTS...Frequent lightning will increase risk of new fire starts. * THUNDERSTORMS...Scattered coverage with frequent lightning. * OUTFLOW WINDS...Erratic winds 35 to 45 mph. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly based on these criteria for Southeastern Idaho: - Relative humidity at or below 15 percent and wind gusts of at least 25 mph in the mountains, or 30 mph in the Snake Plain. - Thunderstorm coverage of 25 percent, without specific rainfall criteria. - Other high impact events deemed critical by the National Weather Service and area fire management agencies. && $$
2 follow-up statements
689 WWUS85 KPIH 130716 RFWPIH URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Pocatello ID 116 AM MDT Thu Aug 13 2026 ...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS THURSDAY DUE TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS... IDZ410-411-413-422-425-427-475-476-140300- /O.CON.KPIH.FW.W.0021.260813T1800Z-260814T0300Z/ Upper Snake River Valley/Idaho Falls BLM- Centennial Mountains and Snake River Range/Targhee NF- Caribou Range/Caribou NF-Sawtooth Range/Northern Sawtooth NF- Middle Snake River Valley/Twin Falls BLM north of the Snake River- Goose Creek and Raft River Valley/Southern Sawtooth NF/Twin Falls BLM south of the Snake River- East Salmon River Mountains/Salmon NF- Lemhi and Lost River Range/Challis NF- 116 AM MDT Thu Aug 13 2026 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS FOR IDAHO FIRE WEATHER ZONES 410, 411, 413, 422, 425, 427, 475, AND 476... * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zone 410 Upper Snake River Valley/Idaho Falls BLM, Fire Weather Zone 411 Centennial Mountains and Snake River Range/Targhee NF, Fire Weather Zone 413 Caribou Range/Caribou NF, Fire Weather Zone 422 Sawtooth Range/Northern Sawtooth NF, Fire Weather Zone 425 Middle Snake River Valley/Twin Falls BLM north of the Snake River, Fire Weather Zone 427 Goose Creek and Raft River Valley/Southern Sawtooth NF/Twin Falls BLM south of the Snake River, Fire Weather Zone 475 East Salmon River Mountains/Salmon NF and Fire Weather Zone 476 Lemhi and Lost River Range/Challis NF. * IMPACTS...Frequent lightning will increase risk of new fire starts. * THUNDERSTORMS...Scattered coverage with frequent lightning. * OUTFLOW WINDS...Erratic winds 35 to 45 mph. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly based on these criteria for Southeastern Idaho: - Relative humidity at or below 15 percent and wind gusts of at least 25 mph in the mountains, or 30 mph in the Snake Plain. - Thunderstorm coverage of 25 percent, without specific rainfall criteria. - Other high impact events deemed critical by the National Weather Service and area fire management agencies. && $$
705 WWUS85 KPIH 140254 RFWPIH URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Pocatello ID 854 PM MDT Thu Aug 13 2026 IDZ410-411-413-422-425-427-475-476-140400- /O.EXP.KPIH.FW.W.0021.000000T0000Z-260814T0300Z/ Upper Snake River Valley/Idaho Falls BLM- Centennial Mountains and Snake River Range/Targhee NF- Caribou Range/Caribou NF-Sawtooth Range/Northern Sawtooth NF- Middle Snake River Valley/Twin Falls BLM north of the Snake River- Goose Creek and Raft River Valley/Southern Sawtooth NF/Twin Falls BLM south of the Snake River- East Salmon River Mountains/Salmon NF- Lemhi and Lost River Range/Challis NF- 854 PM MDT Thu Aug 13 2026 ...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 410, 411, 413, 422, 425, 427, 475, AND 476... Thunderstorms have ended across central and eastern Idaho. More thunderstorms are expected again Friday, mainly in the afternoon and evening. $$
The office that day
Everything else NWS Pocatello, ID issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 12, 12:43 AM MDT | Flash Flood Watch | PIH | Bonneville, Fremont, Jefferson, Madison | 45 hr |
| Aug 12, 3:23 PM MDT | Special Weather Statement | PIH | Clark | 52 min |
| Aug 12, 4:09 PM MDT | Special Weather Statement | PIH | Clark | 66 min |
| Aug 12, 4:59 PM MDT | Special Weather Statement | PIH | Bannock | 46 min |
| Aug 12, 5:17 PM MDT | Special Weather Statement | PIH | Fremont | 43 min |
Nearby
Red Flag Warnings in Idaho, 2026Every red flag warning in 2026
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.