Several inches of snow could fall on much of East Idaho Friday as a winter storm barrels through the region.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning and multiple winter weather advisories for East Idaho to warn the public about the hazardous road conditions caused by the snow as well as winds of up to 60 mph that are dramatically reducing visibility.

Numerous wrecks were reported Friday morning on East Idaho's roads, especially in the Pocatello area. Conditions on Interstate 86 and the Flying Y in Pocatello are especially dangerous.

The winds will be so destructive along the Interstate 15, Interstate 86 and Interstate 84 corridors that a wind advisory has been issued for those areas as well as Lava Hot Springs.

The storm arrived in East Idaho late Thursday night and is not expected to exit until around 9 p.m. Friday. It appears to be a more powerful weather system than originally expected.

The hardest hit area is forecast to be Emigration Summit which could receive up to 7 inches of snow.

Up to 5 inches of snow could fall on the Grace, Bancroft, Soda Springs, Henry, Bone, Wayan, Palisades, Swan Valley, Victor, Ashton, Tetonia, Driggs and Island Park areas while up to 4 inches of snow could fall on the Inkom, Arimo, Downey, Lava Hot Springs, McCammon, Pocatello, Chubbuck, Blackfoot, American Falls, Aberdeen, Shelley, Firth and Fort Hall areas.

Up to 3 inches of snow could fall on the Georgetown, Albion, Almo, Malta, Rockland, Arbon and Holbrook areas, while the rest of East Idaho including Idaho Falls, Ammon, Rexburg, St. Anthony, Montpelier, Thatcher, Paris, St. Charles, Malad and Preston could receive an inch or two of snow at the most.

East Idaho's higher mountains could receive as much as 18 inches of snow from storm.

If you do decide to drive on Friday in East Idaho, you should definitely make sure you have food, water, extra blankets and a flashlight in your vehicle in case of an emergency, the weather service recommends. 

Elsewhere in the state, wind and winter weather advisories are in effect in south central Idaho and winter weather advisories are in effect in North Idaho because of the storm.

Winter storm warnings and/or winter weather advisories are in effect in all of the states surrounding Idaho.

Stay with idahostatejournal.com for the latest forecast updates.