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, sustained 45-55 mph with gusts upwards of 85- 105 mph, are expected in the foothills of Larimer, Boulder and Jefferson Counties beginning early Friday morning. Relative humidity values are expected to drop into the low teens, possibly upper single digits. While Red Flag conditions, critical fire weather, are expected across a larger area in northern Colorado, the most extreme conditions are expected to be along Highway 93 from Jefferson County into Boulder County and along US-36 north of Boulder to the Larimer County line and westward. There will be a high 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. Such conditions may be a longer duration than usual, with potential for low humidity to extend well into the evening hours. * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 238, 240, 241, 242 and 243. * TIMING...From 10 AM this morning to midnight MST tonight. * WINDS...West 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 60 mph possible west of I-25, and gusts to 40 mph possible along and east of I- 25. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 12 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
Pend Oreille River
was last observed at
67,200
cfs, and is expected to yield approximately
133,290
acre-ft of water today; about 218%
of normal.
River levels are high.
Average streamflow for this time of year is
30,874 cfs,
with recent peaks last observed
on
2011-06-18 when daily discharge volume was observed at
243,000 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the
Pend Oreille River Below Box Canyon Near Ione
reporting a streamflow rate of 34,700 cfs.
This is also the highest stage along the Pend Oreille River, with a gauge stage of
91.4 ft at this location.
This river is monitored from 2 different streamgauging stations along the Pend Oreille River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 2,035 ft, the
Pend Oreille River At Newport Wa.
River Details
| Last Updated | 2025-12-19 |
| Discharge Volume | 133,290 ACRE-FT |
| Streamflow |
67,200.0 cfs
+800.0 cfs (+1.2%) |
| Percent of Normal | 217.66% |
| Maximum |
243,000.0 cfs
2011-06-18 |
| Seasonal Avg | 30,874 cfs |
River Streamflow Levels
| Streamgauge | Streamflow | Gauge Stage | 24hr Change (%) | % Normal | Minimum (cfs) | Maximum (cfs) | Air Temp | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Pend Oreille River At Newport Wa
USGS 12395500 |
32500 cfs | 37.37 ft | 0.93 | |||||
|
Pend Oreille River Below Box Canyon Near Ione
USGS 12396500 |
34700 cfs | 91.4 ft | 1.46 |
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile
The Pend Oreille River ( pond-ə-RAY) is a tributary of the Columbia River, approximately 130 miles (209 km) long, in northern Idaho and northeastern Washington in the United States, as well as southeastern British Columbia in Canada. In its passage through British Columbia its name is spelled Pend-d'Oreille River. It drains a scenic area of the Rocky Mountains along the U.S.-Canada border on the east side of the Columbia. The river is sometimes defined as the lower part of the Clark Fork, which rises in western Montana. The river drains an area of 66,800 square kilometres (25,792 sq mi), mostly through the Clark Fork and its tributaries in western Montana and including a portion of the Flathead River in southeastern British Columbia. The full drainage basin of the river and its tributaries accounts for 43% of the entire Columbia River Basin above the confluence with the Columbia. The total area of the Pend Oreille basin is just under 10% of the entire 258,000-square-mile (670,000 km2) Columbia Basin. Box Canyon Dam is currently underway on a multimillion-dollar project for a fish ladder.