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
Umatilla River
was last observed at
1,050
cfs, and is expected to yield approximately
2,083
acre-ft of water today; about 109%
of normal.
Average streamflow for this time of year is
965 cfs,
with recent peaks last observed
on
2019-04-10 when daily discharge volume was observed at
23,710 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the
Umatilla River Above Meacham Creek
reporting a streamflow rate of 1,050 cfs.
This is also the highest stage along the Umatilla River, with a gauge stage of
5.33 ft at this location.
This river is monitored from 3 different streamgauging stations along the Umatilla River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 1,871 ft, the
Umatilla River Above Meacham Creek.
River Details
| Last Updated | 2025-12-19 |
| Discharge Volume | 2,083 ACRE-FT |
| Streamflow |
1,050.0 cfs
+267.0 cfs (+34.1%) |
| Percent of Normal | 108.79% |
| Maximum |
23,710.0 cfs
2019-04-10 |
| Seasonal Avg | 965 cfs |
River Streamflow Levels
| Streamgauge | Streamflow | Gauge Stage | 24hr Change (%) | % Normal | Minimum (cfs) | Maximum (cfs) | Air Temp | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Umatilla River Above Meacham Creek
USGS 14020000 |
1050 cfs | 5.33 ft | 514.04 | |||||
|
Umatilla R At W Reservation Bndy Nr Pendleton
USGS 14020850 |
864 cfs | 4.86 ft | 148.28 | |||||
|
Umatilla River Near Umatilla
USGS 14033500 |
289 cfs | 3.16 ft | 9.47 |
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile
The Umatilla River is an 89-mile (143 km) tributary of the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Oregon. Draining a basin of 2,450 square miles (6,300 km2), it enters the Columbia near the city of Umatilla in the northeastern part of the state. In downstream order, beginning at the headwaters, major tributaries of the Umatilla River are the North Fork Umatilla River and the South Fork Umatilla River, then Meacham, McKay, Birch, and Butter creeks.
The name Umatilla is derived from the Native American name for the river, which was first recorded as Youmalolam in the journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition and spelled in many other ways in early books about Oregon.