Rivers could reach flood-stage by Sunday

Bigfork Eagle

Flathead County officials have begun emergency planning as the National Weather Service projected flood levels on area rivers by Sunday, May 18.

Cool spring weather and continuing snowfall in recent weeks has led to higher-than-normal snow levels in the mountains. The mountain snowpack in the Flathead Basin is at 126 percent of the 30-year average for this time of year.

In fact, the snow depth at Flattop Mountain Snotel site. at 6,300 feet in the Middle Fork basin, increased from 124 inches on May 6 to 135 inches on May 12.

The snow depth at Noisy Basin in the Jewel Basin, elevation 6,040 feet, also increased for the same time period, from 111.8 inches to 112.6 inches.

Other area Snotel sites reported falling snow depths. The Grave Creek Snotel site, at 4,300 feet in the Whitefish Range, draining into the Stillwater River basin, reported snow depth fell from 34.1 inches to 28.2 inches.

And the Emery Creek Snotel site, at 4,350 feet in the Hungry Horse Reservoir drainage, reported snow depth dropped from 28.8 to 22.9 inches over the same time period.

Weather officials point out that May and June are typically the rainiest months in Northwest Montana, and they're forecasting temperatures in the 70s and 80s by the end of the week.

Area rivers that are expected to reach floodstage include the Middle Fork and mainstem of the Flathead River. The Swan River near Bigfork is predicted to peak at 5.43 feet on Monday, June 19, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Bridget De Rosa in Missoula. The flood stage height for the Swan is 6.5 feet.

The Middle Fork of the Flathead is expected to peak above flood stage near West Glacier over the weekend, she said.

The Stillwater and Whitefish rivers are not expected to peak until late May or even June.

Flathead County emergency services director Mark Peck warned people living in flood-prone areas to begin preparations, including stocking up on food and arranging for a place to go and where to take pets or livestock. They should also secure hazardous materials that might wash away and find out how to shut off water and other utilities.