Fire Weather Watch
2026-03-05T18:00:00-07:00

The National Weather Service in Denver has issued a Fire Weather Watch for wind and low relative humidity, which is in effect Thursday afternoon. * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 241, 245, 246 and 247. * TIMING...Thursday afternoon. * WINDS...South 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 35 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 10 percent. * IMPACTS...Conditions will be favorable for rapid fire spread. Avoid outdoor burning and any activity that may produce a spark and start a wildfire.


Flathead River River Levels

Last Updated: March 3, 2026

The Flathead River is a 158-mile-long river located in western Montana, USA.


Summary

Total streamflow across the Flathead River was last observed at 29,306 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 58,128 acre-ft of water today; about 138% of normal. River levels are high. Average streamflow for this time of year is 21,275 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2012-06-27 when daily discharge volume was observed at 165,650 cfs.

Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Flathead River Near Polson Mt reporting a streamflow rate of 12,500 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Flathead River At Perma Mt with a gauge stage of 10.4 ft. This river is monitored from 4 different streamgauging stations along the Flathead River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 3,983 ft, the Flathead River At Flathead British Columbia.




15-Day Weather Outlook


River Details

Last Updated 2026-03-03
Discharge Volume 58,128 ACRE-FT
Streamflow 29,306.0 cfs
-88.0 cfs (-0.3%)
Percent of Normal 137.75%
Maximum 165,650.0 cfs
2012-06-27
Seasonal Avg 21,275 cfs
       
River Streamflow Levels
Streamgauge Streamflow Gauge Stage 24hr Change (%) % Normal Minimum (cfs) Maximum (cfs) Air Temp Elevation
Flathead River At Flathead British Columbia
USGS 12355000
276 cfs 4.49 ft -2.82
Flathead River At Columbia Falls Mt
USGS 12363000
4030 cfs 4.02 ft 0.5
Flathead River Near Polson Mt
USGS 12372000
12500 cfs 7.49 ft -0.79
Flathead River At Perma Mt
USGS 12388700
12500 cfs 10.4 ft 0
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile

The Flathead River (Salish: ntx̣ʷetkʷ, ntx̣ʷe ), in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Montana, originates in the Canadian Rockies to the north of Glacier National Park and flows southwest into Flathead Lake, then after a journey of 158 miles (254 km), empties into the Clark Fork. The river is part of the Columbia River drainage basin, as the Clark Fork is a tributary of the Pend Oreille River, a Columbia River tributary. With a drainage basin extending over 8,795 square miles (22,780 km2) and an average discharge of 11,380 cubic feet per second (322 m3/s), the Flathead is the largest tributary of the Clark Fork and constitutes over half of its flow.