000 WGUS85 KMSO 011849 FLSMSO FLOOD STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT 1246 PM MDT SAT JUN 1 2002 MTC029-020100- FLATHEAD COUNTY- ...THE FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELED FOR THE NORTH FORK FLATHEAD RIVER...MIDDLE FORK FLATHEAD RIVER AND MAINSTEM OF THE FLATHEAD RIVER... FLD OBSERVED FORECAST 7AM LOCATION STG STG DAY TIME SUN MON TUE NORTH FORK FLATHEAD RIVER AT POLEBRIDGE 12.0 11.2 SAT 7 AM 10.9 10.7 10.5 MIDDLE FORK FLATHEAD RIVER NEAR ESSEX 8.0 6.3 SAT 7 AM 6.0 5.8 5.5 NEAR WEST GLACIER 10.0 8.7 SAT 11AM 8.5 8.4 8.2 FLATHEAD RIVER AT COLUMBIA FALLS 14.0 13.0 SAT 12PM 13.0 12.8 12.7 RIVERS IN THE FLATHEAD RIVER BASIN ARE CRESTING TODAY AND SNOWMELT RATES ARE DECLINING...THEREFORE THE FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELED. RAIN IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE AREA LATE TODAY THROUGH TOMORROW...HOWEVER THE RAINFALL IS NOT EXPECTED TO BRING THE RIVERS TO FLOOD STAGE. FOR THE NORTH FORK OF THE FLATHEAD RIVER AT POLEBRIDGE...THE RIVER STAGE IS CRESTING NEAR 11.O FEET. THE RIVER WILL REMAIN NEAR 11.0 FEET THROUGH TODAY AND START A SLOW DECLINE ON SUNDAY. FOR THE MIDDLE FORK OF THE FLATHEAD RIVER NEAR ESSEX...THE RIVER STAGE IS CRESTING NEAR 6.0 FEET. THE RIVER WILL REMAIN NEAR 6.0 FEET THROUGH TODAY AND START A SLOW DECLINE ON SUNDAY. FOR THE MIDDLE FORK FLATHEAD RIVER NEAR WEST GLACIER...THE RIVER STAGE IS CRESTING NEAR 9.0 FEET. THE RIVER WILL REMAIN NEAR 9.0 FEET THROUGH TODAY AND START A SLOW DECLINE ON SUNDAY. FOR THE MAINSTEM OF THE FLATHEAD RIVER AT COLUMBIA FALLS...THE RIVER STAGE IS CRESTING NEAR 13.0 FEET. THE RIVER WILL REMAIN NEAR 13.0 FEET THROUGH TODAY. $$ MTC061-020100- MINERAL COUNTY- ...THE FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN DOWNGRADED TO A FLOOD WATCH ON THE SAINT REGIS RIVER... FLD OBSERVED FORECAST 7AM LOCATION STG STG DAY TIME SUN MON TUE SAINT REGIS RIVER AT ST. REGIS 7.0 6.9 SAT 12PM 6.9 6.6 6.3 THE SAINT REGIS RIVER HAS CRESTED AND IS CONTINUING A SLOW FALL...HOWEVER ADDITIONAL RAINFALL IN THE AREA MAY BRING THE RIVER BACK TO FLOOD STAGE. $$ MTC063-020100- MISSOULA COUNTY- ...THE FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELED FOR THE BITTERROOT RIVER NEAR MISSOULA... FLD OBSERVED FORECAST 7AM LOCATION STG STG DAY TIME SUN MON TUE BITTERROOT RIVER NEAR MISSOULA 11.0 10.2 SAT 11AM 10.7 10.5 10.5 THE BITTERROOT RIVER NEAR MISSOULA IS CRESTING TODAY JUST BELOW THE 11.0 FOOT FLOOD STAGE. THE RIVER IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN NEAR THE 10.0 FOOT LEVEL THROUGH TODAY AND INTO SUNDAY. $$ MTC081-020100- RAVALLI COUNTY- ...THE FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELED FOR THE STRETCH OF THE BITTERROOT RIVER BETWEEN HAMILTON AND FLORENCE... ...THE FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELED FOR THE BITTERROOT RIVER NEAR DARBY... ...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE SEVERELY BURNED AREAS OF SOUTHERN RAVALLI COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL MONTANA THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON... FLD OBSERVED FORECAST 7AM LOCATION STG STG DAY TIME SUN MON TUE BITTERROOT RIVER NEAR VICTOR 11.0 10.2 SAT 12PM 10.2 10.2 10.2 NEAR DARBY 7.5 6.3 SAT 10AM 6.3 6.0 6.0 THE BITTERROOT RIVER IS CRESTING AND REMAINING STEADY. SNOWMELT RATES HAVE CONTINUED TO DECLINE...THEREFORE THE FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELED. RAIN IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE AREA LATE TODAY THROUGH TOMORROW...HOWEVER THE RAINFALL IS NOT EXPECTED TO BRING THE RIVERS BACK TO FLOOD STAGE. FOR THE BITTERROOT RIVER NEAR VICTOR. THE RIVER STAGE WILL REMAIN JUST BELOW THE FLOOD STAGE OF 11.0 FEET THROUGH TODAY AND START A SLOW DECLINE ON SUNDAY. FOR THE BITTERROOT RIVER NEAR DARBY...THE RIVER WILL REMAIN BELOW THE FLOOD STAGE OF 7.5 FEET THROUGH TODAY AND START A SLOW DECLINE ON SUNDAY. THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAIN OVER THE SEVERELY BURNED AREAS WILL CONTINUE THIS AFTERNOON AS THUNDERSTORMS MOVE ACROSS THE AREA. HEAVY RAINFALL COULD CREATE RAPID RUNOFF WITH POSSIBLE FLOODING ON SMALL CREEKS AND DRAINAGES NEAR THE BURNED AREAS. THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING CREEK DRAINAGES... ...CHICKEN CREEK ABOVE PAINTED ROCKS RESERVOIR ...LAIRD CREEK...CAMERON CREEK...AND DICKSON CREEK NEAR SULA ...NORTH FORK RYE CREEK NEAR DARBY ...LITTLE SLEEPING CHILD CREEK...SLEEPING CHILD CREEK AND SKALKAHO CREEK EAST OF HAMILTON ...COW CREEK NEAR PINESDALE A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT FLASH FLOODING IS POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA. PEOPLE ARE ADVISED TO CHECK PREPAREDNESS REQUIREMENTS... KEEP INFORMED...AND BE READY FOR QUICK ACTION IF A FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS ISSUED. $$ NICKLESS