2026-03-13T20:00:00-06:00
* AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 238, 239, 240, 241, 242, 243, 244, 245, 246, 247, 248, 249, 250 and 251. * TIMING...For the first Red Flag Warning, from 11 AM this morning to 8 PM MDT this evening. For the second Red Flag Warning, from 11 AM to 9 PM MDT Saturday. * WINDS...Today, west winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts 25 to 40 mph. On Saturday, west winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts 35 to 50 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...Today, 12 to 17 percent. On Saturday, 10 to 15 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
Platte River
was last observed at
21,710
cfs, and is expected to yield approximately
43,061
acre-ft of water today; about 61%
of normal.
River levels are low and may signify a drought.
Average streamflow for this time of year is
35,726 cfs,
with recent peaks last observed
on
2019-05-29 when daily discharge volume was observed at
281,920 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the
Platte River Nr Leshara
reporting a streamflow rate of 6,720 cfs.
However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the
Platte R Nr Ashland
with a gauge stage of 14.12 ft.
This river is monitored from 13 different streamgauging stations along the Platte River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 2,300 ft, the
Platte River Near Overton.
15-Day Weather Outlook
River Details
| Last Updated | 2026-03-13 |
| Discharge Volume | 43,061 ACRE-FT |
| Streamflow |
21,710.0 cfs
+3290.0 cfs (+17.86%) |
| Percent of Normal | 60.77% |
| Maximum |
281,920.0 cfs
2019-05-29 |
| Seasonal Avg | 35,726 cfs |
River Streamflow Levels
| Streamgauge | Streamflow | Gauge Stage | 24hr Change (%) | % Normal | Minimum (cfs) | Maximum (cfs) | Air Temp | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Platte River Near Overton
USGS 06768000 |
1960 cfs | 3.63 ft | -2.49 | |||||
|
Platte R Mid Ch
USGS 06768035 |
1530 cfs | 5.24 ft | 0.66 | |||||
|
Platte River Near Kearney
USGS 06770200 |
1780 cfs | 3.67 ft | 11.25 | |||||
|
Platte River Near Grand Island
USGS 06770500 |
1120 cfs | 3.95 ft | 96.84 | |||||
|
Platte River Near Duncan
USGS 06774000 |
770 cfs | 3.57 ft | -24.51 | |||||
|
Platte River At North Bend
USGS 06796000 |
3860 cfs | 3.44 ft | 83.81 | |||||
|
Platte River Nr Leshara
USGS 06796500 |
6720 cfs | 4.69 ft | 37.14 | |||||
|
Platte R Nr Ashland
USGS 06801000 |
3420 cfs | 14.12 ft | -13.64 | |||||
|
Platte R At Louisville Ne
USGS 06805500 |
5750 cfs | 3.41 ft | 5.5 | |||||
|
Platte River Near Agency
USGS 06820500 |
136 cfs | 5.83 ft | -12.26 | |||||
|
Platte River At Sharps Station
USGS 06821190 |
324 cfs | 4.51 ft | -29.1 | |||||
|
Platte River Near Rockville
USGS 05414000 |
108 cfs | 4.24 ft | -6.09 | |||||
|
Platte River At Honor
USGS 04126740 |
128 cfs | 1.24 ft | -4.48 |
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile
The Platte River is a major river in the state of Nebraska and is about 310 mi (500 km) long. Measured to its farthest source via its tributary the North Platte River, it flows for over 1,050 miles (1,690 km). The Platte River is a tributary of the Missouri River, which itself is a tributary of the Mississippi River which flows to the Gulf of Mexico. The Platte over most of its length is a muddy, broad, shallow, meandering stream with a swampy bottom and many islands—a braided stream. These characteristics made it too difficult for canoe travel, and it was never used as a major navigation route by European-American trappers or explorers.The Platte is one of the most significant tributary systems in the watershed of the Missouri, draining a large portion of the central Great Plains in Nebraska and the eastern Rocky Mountains in Colorado and Wyoming. The river valley played an important role in the westward expansion of the United States, providing the route for several major emigrant trails, including the Oregon, California, Mormon and Bozeman trails. The first Europeans to see the Platte were French explorers and fur trappers about 1714; they first called it the Nebraskier (Nebraska), a transliteration of the name given by the Otoe people, meaning "flat water". This expression is very close to the French words "rivière plate" ("flat river"), the probable origin of the name Platte River.