The National Weather Service has escalated its winter storm watches to winter storm warnings for East Idaho in anticipation of the first snowfall of the season expected this weekend.

The incoming winter storm is forecast to bring rain and snow to East Idaho Saturday morning through Sunday afternoon, creating very difficult driving conditions in the region’s highlands due to the expected 40 mph winds causing blowing and drifting snow.

The storm will dump up to 14 inches of snow on East Idaho’s higher mountains above 7,000 feet and the weather service is specifically warning backcountry enthusiasts and hunters to “be prepared for the wintry conditions and the potential for hypothermia.”

East Idaho’s towns and cities are all below 7,000 feet elevation but they’ll still receive snow from the storm.

The Island Park, Dubois, Spencer, Victor, Emigration Summit, Wayan, Swan Valley and Palisades areas will receive up to 6 inches of snow Saturday morning through Sunday afternoon.

East Idaho’s other higher elevation communities including Soda Springs, Montpelier, Lava Hot Springs, Inkom, Bone, Ashton, Driggs and Arbon are expected to receive up to 3 inches of snow from the storm.

East Idaho’s lower elevations, including the Pocatello, Chubbuck, Blackfoot, American Falls, Aberdeen, Fort Hall, Burley, Rupert, Idaho Falls, Ammon, Rigby, Rexburg, Malad and Preston areas, are forecast to receive less than an inch of snow from the storm.

The storm will also bring rain to East Idaho Saturday morning through Sunday afternoon, especially in the lower elevations.

The weather service said it’s possible the precipitation could linger into Monday in parts of East Idaho.

Along with the first snow of the winter season, the storm will usher in several days of very cold temperatures in East Idaho.

Saturday through Wednesday’s daytime highs will likely be in the 40s in most of East Idaho while nighttime lows are expected to be in the low 30s and colder. Higher elevation towns across East Idaho will likely see nighttime lows in the 20s and teens Saturday through Wednesday.

The weather service is encouraging East Idahoans to purchase winter-related items such as snow shovels and salt now rather than rushing out to the store after the storm hits.

Elsewhere in the state, winter storm warnings are in effect in the central Idaho Mountains including the Stanley, Ketchum and Sun Valley areas and winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories are in effect in North Idaho. Winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories are also in effect in Montana, Wyoming and Utah in anticipation of the storm.

The weather service said that normally East Idaho receives its first snowfall in early October, so this winter is already off to a late start.

The weather service said its forecast for winter in East Idaho is calling for equal chances of above or below normal precipitation and temperatures, meaning we’ll all have to wait and see what Old Man Winter has in store.