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
Puyallup River
was last observed at
35,080
cfs, and is expected to yield approximately
69,580
acre-ft of water today; about 391%
of normal.
River levels are high.
Average streamflow for this time of year is
8,979 cfs,
with recent peaks last observed
on
2025-12-09 when daily discharge volume was observed at
85,340 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the
Puyallup River At Puyallup
reporting a streamflow rate of 20,900 cfs.
However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the
Puyallup River At Alderton
with a gauge stage of 52.3 ft.
This river is monitored from 4 different streamgauging stations along the Puyallup River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 1,641 ft, the
Puyallup River Near Electron.
River Details
| Last Updated | 2025-12-19 |
| Discharge Volume | 69,580 ACRE-FT |
| Streamflow |
35,080.0 cfs
+9600.0 cfs (+37.68%) |
| Percent of Normal | 390.7% |
| Maximum |
85,340.0 cfs
2025-12-09 |
| Seasonal Avg | 8,979 cfs |
River Streamflow Levels
| Streamgauge | Streamflow | Gauge Stage | 24hr Change (%) | % Normal | Minimum (cfs) | Maximum (cfs) | Air Temp | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Puyallup River Near Electron
USGS 12092000 |
1780 cfs | 6.09 ft | 89.36 | |||||
|
Puyallup River Near Orting
USGS 12093500 |
2840 cfs | 8.17 ft | 11.37 | |||||
|
Puyallup River At Alderton
USGS 12096500 |
12400 cfs | 52.3 ft | 72.22 | |||||
|
Puyallup River At Puyallup
USGS 12101500 |
20900 cfs | 21.42 ft | 44.14 |
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile
The Puyallup River ( pew-AL-əp) is a river in the U.S. state of Washington. About 45 miles (72 km) long, it is formed by glaciers on the west side of Mount Rainier. It flows generally northwest, emptying into Commencement Bay, part of Puget Sound. The river and its tributaries drain an area of about 948 square miles (2,460 km2) in Pierce County and southern King County.The river's watershed is the youngest in the Puget Sound region, having been formed from a series of lahars starting about 5,600 years ago. The valley's 150,000 residents are at risk from future lahars. For this reason, the United States Geological Survey has installed a lahar warning system.