Tag Archives: flood watch

Flood watch in effect through Thursday

Flood Information, News,

UPDATED

All this rain has caused the National Weather Service to post a flood watch through Thursday. They are looking for sharp rises in river levels, specifically for the North Fork and Middle Fork. At this point, the river level forecast data for Flathead County shows expected heights around flood level for the North Fork at the Canadian border during Wednesday-Thursday. (However, the actual river level readings are running well below the forecast.)

Here’s the official flood watch language:

Statement as of 9:45 AM MDT on June 06, 2012

… Flood Watch remains in effect through Thursday morning…

The Flood Watch continues for

* a portion of northwest Montana… including the following counties… Flathead and lake.

* Through Thursday morning

* excessive rainfall resulting from a strong storm system will impact northwest Montana… creating the potential for flooding.

* The Flathead river… including the North Fork and Middle Fork branches… could see dramatic rises in water levels that could cause them to reach flood stage in the next several days. Smaller streams are also at risk for higher flows.

Flood watch issued for all stems of the Flathead river from Friday through Sunday morning

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The National Weather service has issued a flood watch for the upper end of the Flathead drainage. Currently, they are forecasting a brief period of flooding for the North Fork at the Canadian border starting late Thursday/early Friday, but not for Polebridge. Here’s the official wording . . .

… Flood Watch in effect for all stems of the Flathead river from Friday morning through Sunday morning…

The National Weather Service in Missoula has issued a

* Flood Watch for all stems of the Flathead river in northwest Montana… including the following County… Flathead.

* From Friday morning through Sunday morning

* warm temperatures this week have enhanced melting of the record snow pack throughout the Flathead river basin. Steady rises on all stems of the Flathead river are forecast and flood stages may be reached as early as Friday.

* Small streams that feed the Flathead may also rise and approach flood levels this week and through the weekend.

Precautionary/preparedness actions…

A Flood Watch means there is a potential for flooding based on current forecasts.

You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible flood warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop.

Flathead rivers fall just short of flood stage

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From today’s Flathead Beacon . . .

While many residents across western Montana were waking up to raging rivers, those in Flathead and Lincoln counties had pretty much dodged the bullet.

By Thursday morning, no rivers in Northwest Montana had reached flood stage, as was predicted by the National Weather Service in Missoula on Wednesday afternoon. As a result all flood advisories had been lifted for both counties, with the exception of a river-specific warning on the Stillwater, according to meteorologist Jessica Nolte.

Continue reading . . .

Plenty of rain falls, but local rivers stay below flood stage

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So far, so good. It appears the North Fork is staying within its banks and the same is holding true for the general area.

From today’s Daily Inter Lake . . .

In spite of Wednesday’s rainfall, rivers in Flathead County remain inside their banks, the county’s emergency services director said late Wednesday afternoon.

Scott Sampey said water conditions didn’t change much between Tuesday and Wednesday. The North Fork was up a bit Wednesday and running muddy. The Middle Fork at West Glacier was up and the main Flathead River had risen near action stage, Sampey said.

“It could be that someone along any of these rivers gets flooded,” he said. But no county rivers are at flood stage yet, he said.

With more rain in the forecast for the next week, rivers should stay high, he said, but lower temperatures at the same time will prevent mountain snowpack from melting quickly.

Continue reading . . .

Local rivers to flirt with flood stage

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The National Weather Service has backed off a bit on its flood forecast, now expecting area rivers to mostly just approach flood stage. Locally, the flood watch released this morning indicates the “North Fork and Middle Fork of the Flathead river will see increased rises in flows… and will have the potential to reach flood stage through midweek.”

Here’s the write-up from today’s Daily Inter Lake . . .

Flathead County officials are keeping an eye on area rivers, streams and lakes for the next couple of days, following higher weekend temperatures and a forecast for more rain in the next few days.

Scott Sampey, Flathead County director of emergency services, said all area rivers are expected to “get near or barely nip flood stage” on Wednesday. By the end of the week, river levels are expected to drop.

The National Weather Service in Missoula issued a flood watch for Flathead County on Monday afternoon. A flood watch means there is potential for flooding…

The weather service’s river level gauges indicate peak flows are expected at all county rivers mid-afternoon Wednesday…

Continue reading . . .

Flood Watch in effect through Tuesday afternoon

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From the National Weather Service . . .

Statement as of 10:40 AM MDT on June 06, 2011

… Flood Watch in effect through Tuesday afternoon…

The National Weather Service in Missoula has issued a

* Flood Watch for a portion of northwest Montana… including the following County… Flathead.

* Until further notice

* snowmelt will combine with excessive rainfall amounts through Tuesday evening. This will result in sharp increases in rivers and streams.

* All stems of the Flathead rivers… including the North Fork… Middle Fork… and main Stem will have the potential to reach flood stage by midweek.

Precautionary/preparedness actions…

A Flood Watch means there is a potential for flooding based on current forecasts.

You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible flood warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop.