2025-12-20T00:00:00-07:00
...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS FRIDAY... Critical fire weather conditions over the northeast plains will gradually ease into this evening. Strong winds will redevelop in the foothills overnight, with high winds spreading slowly east across the nearby adjacent plains west of I-25 through the afternoon. Extremely high wind gusts of 85-100 mph combined with humidities dropping into the 10-20 percent range will create potential for fast moving wildfires, should any new starts occur. Winds toward I-25 and eastward will be slower to develop, and also speeds will be considerably lighter. That said, gusts of 25-40 mph are still expected to combine with very low humidity and cured grasses to support critical fire weather conditions. Areas farther east into eastern Adams, Arapahoe, Elbert, and Lincoln counties have more uncertainty if those winds even develop, so those locations remain under a Fire Weather Watch. Such conditions may be a longer duration than usual, with potential for low humidity to extend well into the evening hours. The National Weather Service in Denver has issued a Red Flag Warning for wind and low relative humidity, which is in effect from 10 AM Friday to midnight MST Friday night. The Fire Weather Watch is no longer in effect. * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 238, 239, 240, 241 and 243. * TIMING...From 10 AM Friday to midnight MST Friday night. * WINDS...West 20 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 80 mph or more immediately next to the foothills. Gusts closer to 40 mph along and east of I-25. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 8 percent. * IMPACTS...Conditions will be favorable for rapid fire spread. Avoid outdoor burning and any activity that may produce a spark and start a fast moving wildfire.
Summary
Total streamflow across the
Cowlitz River
was last observed at
91,880
cfs, and is expected to yield approximately
182,242
acre-ft of water today; about 326%
of normal.
River levels are high.
Average streamflow for this time of year is
28,209 cfs,
with recent peaks last observed
on
2025-12-11 when daily discharge volume was observed at
100,500 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the
Cowlitz River At Castle Rock
reporting a streamflow rate of 40,200 cfs.
This is also the highest stage along the Cowlitz River, with a gauge stage of
43.52 ft at this location.
This river is monitored from 4 different streamgauging stations along the Cowlitz River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 1,053 ft, the
Cowlitz River At Packwood.
River Details
| Last Updated | 2025-12-18 |
| Discharge Volume | 182,242 ACRE-FT |
| Streamflow |
91,880.0 cfs
+4300.0 cfs (+4.91%) |
| Percent of Normal | 325.71% |
| Maximum |
100,500.0 cfs
2025-12-11 |
| Seasonal Avg | 28,209 cfs |
River Streamflow Levels
| Streamgauge | Streamflow | Gauge Stage | 24hr Change (%) | % Normal | Minimum (cfs) | Maximum (cfs) | Air Temp | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Cowlitz River At Packwood
USGS 14226500 |
6780 cfs | 4.83 ft | -26.94 | |||||
|
Cowlitz River At Randle
USGS 14231000 |
16200 cfs | 17.02 ft | 29.6 | |||||
|
Cowlitz River Below Mayfield Dam
USGS 14238000 |
28700 cfs | 18.9 ft | 0.35 | |||||
|
Cowlitz River At Castle Rock
USGS 14243000 |
40200 cfs | 43.52 ft | 8.06 |
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile
The Cowlitz River is a river in the state of Washington in the United States, a tributary of the Columbia River. Its tributaries drain a large region including the slopes of Mount Rainier, Mount Adams, and Mount St. Helens.
The Cowlitz has a 2,586-square-mile (6,698 km2) drainage basin, located between the Cascade Range in eastern Lewis County, Washington and the cities of Kelso and Longview. The river is roughly 105 miles (169 km) long, not counting tributaries.
Major tributaries of the Cowlitz River include the Cispus River and the Toutle River, which was overtaken by volcanic mudflows (lahars) during the May 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.
When the smelt spawn in the Cowlitz River, the gulls go into a feeding frenzy that lasts for weeks. Kelso, Washington is known as the "Smelt Capital of the World".