2025-12-20T00:00:00-07:00
...THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR IN AND IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE FOOTHILLS, BETWEEN 5500 AND 9000 FEET, FOR BOULDER AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES ON FRIDAY... Strong west winds of 30-40 mph with gusts as high as 85 mph in the foothills of Boulder and northern Jefferson Counties will continue until early evening. Relative humidity values had dropped into the upper single digits and lower teens. Thus, the Particularly Dangerous Situation will remain in place til around 5-6 pm, with only a slow improvement thereafter as winds slowly weaken. Red Flag conditions, however, will persist through the rest of the evening as we remain in a near record warm, dry, and windy airmass along the Front Range through midnight. In fact, strong, gusty winds will persist through much of the night with only a slow improvement in humidity values. Thus, near critical Red Flag conditions will occur into early Saturday morning. While most of the Denver metro area has seen lighter winds prevail most of the day, a period of strong, gusty winds is expected to develop this evening and likely last past midnight, producing Red Flag conditions there. * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 238, 240, 241, 242 and 243. * TIMING...Until midnight MST tonight. * WINDS...West 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 50 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 9 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
Pawnee River
was last observed at
586
cfs, and is expected to yield approximately
1,162
acre-ft of water today; about 100%
of normal.
Average streamflow for this time of year is
586 cfs,
with recent peaks last observed
on
2025-09-25 when daily discharge volume was observed at
802 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the
Pawnee R At Rozel
reporting a streamflow rate of 5.9 cfs.
This is also the highest stage along the Pawnee River, with a gauge stage of
8.42 ft at this location.
This river is monitored from 2 different streamgauging stations along the Pawnee River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 2,129 ft, the
Pawnee R Nr Burdett.
River Details
| Last Updated | 2025-09-26 |
| Discharge Volume | 1,162 ACRE-FT |
| Streamflow |
586.03 cfs
-215.69 cfs (-26.9%) |
| Percent of Normal | 100.0% |
| Maximum |
801.72 cfs
2025-09-25 |
| Seasonal Avg | cfs |
River Streamflow Levels
| Streamgauge | Streamflow | Gauge Stage | 24hr Change (%) | % Normal | Minimum (cfs) | Maximum (cfs) | Air Temp | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Pawnee R Nr Burdett
USGS 07140850 |
0 cfs | 2.29 ft | None | |||||
|
Pawnee R At Rozel
USGS 07141200 |
6 cfs | 8.42 ft | 76.65 |
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile
It stretches for approximately 180 miles, with its source in Hodgeman County and mouth at Larned. The river was historically significant to the Pawnee Native American tribe, who lived along its banks. The river is fed by various creeks and springs, but its flow is largely dependent on precipitation. Several reservoirs and dams have been constructed on the river to control its flow and provide irrigation water for agriculture. These include the Rattlesnake Creek Reservoir and HorseThief Reservoir. The river also supports recreational activities, such as fishing and boating, and provides habitat for various wildlife species.