2026-02-17T20:00:00-07:00
...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS LIKELY TO CONTINUE THROUGH AT LEAST TUESDAY... ...EXTREMELY CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS REMAIN POSSIBLE TUESDAY... .Recent dry conditions combining with above normal temperatures and periods of gusty winds will bring potentially critical fire weather conditions again on Monday. Stronger, more widespread westerly winds are expected to develop Tuesday, possibly producing extremely critical fire weather conditions with wind gusts as high as 65 mph across the plains. ...FIRE WEATHER WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE SOUTHERN FRONT RANGE FOOTHILLS, PALMER DIVIDE, AND EASTERN PLAINS SOUTH OF I-76... * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 216, 241, 245, 246, 247 and 249. * TIMING...For the Red Flag Warning, from 11 AM to 6 PM MST Monday. For the Fire Weather Watch, from Tuesday morning through Tuesday evening. * WINDS...South winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 35 mph on Monday. West winds 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 60 mph on Tuesday. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 11 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.
Summary
Total streamflow across the
Little Platte River
was last observed at
23
cfs, and is expected to yield approximately
47
acre-ft of water today; about 126%
of normal.
River levels are high.
Average streamflow for this time of year is
19 cfs,
with recent peaks last observed
on
2025-06-04 when daily discharge volume was observed at
1,960 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the
Little Platte River At Smithville
reporting a streamflow rate of 19.7 cfs.
This is also the highest stage along the Little Platte River, with a gauge stage of
12.33 ft at this location.
This river is monitored from 2 different streamgauging stations along the Little Platte River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 921 ft, the
Little Platte River Near Plattsburg.
15-Day Weather Outlook
River Details
| Last Updated | 2026-02-16 |
| Discharge Volume | 47 ACRE-FT |
| Streamflow |
23.48 cfs
-7.55 cfs (-24.33%) |
| Percent of Normal | 125.6% |
| Maximum |
1,960.0 cfs
2025-06-04 |
| Seasonal Avg | cfs |
River Streamflow Levels
| Streamgauge | Streamflow | Gauge Stage | 24hr Change (%) | % Normal | Minimum (cfs) | Maximum (cfs) | Air Temp | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Little Platte River Near Plattsburg
USGS 06821080 |
4 cfs | 7.8 ft | 118.5 | |||||
|
Little Platte River At Smithville
USGS 06821150 |
20 cfs | 12.33 ft | -32.76 |
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile
It flows for approximately 65 miles through Platte County and Clay County. The river has a long history, having been used by Native Americans and early settlers for transportation and agriculture. Today, the Little Platte River is primarily used for irrigation and as a source of drinking water for nearby communities. The Smithville Lake and the Little Platte Park Lake Reservoirs are two major dams located on the river, providing flood control and recreational activities such as fishing and boating. The river also supports a variety of wildlife, including several species of fish, birds, and mammals.