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
Yellow River
was last observed at
2,174
cfs, and is expected to yield approximately
4,312
acre-ft of water today; about 48%
of normal.
River levels are low and may signify a drought.
Average streamflow for this time of year is
4,494 cfs,
with recent peaks last observed
on
2020-09-18 when daily discharge volume was observed at
68,265 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the
Yellow River Nr Milton
reporting a streamflow rate of 670 cfs.
However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the
Yellow River Nr Oak Grove
with a gauge stage of 80.42 ft.
This river is monitored from 11 different streamgauging stations along the Yellow River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 1,024 ft, the
Yellow River At Babcock.
River Details
| Last Updated | 2025-12-19 |
| Discharge Volume | 4,312 ACRE-FT |
| Streamflow |
2,174.0 cfs
-351.0 cfs (-13.9%) |
| Percent of Normal | 48.37% |
| Maximum |
68,265.0 cfs
2020-09-18 |
| Seasonal Avg | 4,494 cfs |
River Streamflow Levels
| Streamgauge | Streamflow | Gauge Stage | 24hr Change (%) | % Normal | Minimum (cfs) | Maximum (cfs) | Air Temp | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Yellow River At Babcock
USGS 05402000 |
44 cfs | 2.33 ft | -22.28 | |||||
|
Yellow River At Necedah
USGS 05403000 |
145 cfs | 9.59 ft | 39.42 | |||||
|
Yellow River At Plymouth
USGS 05516500 |
335 cfs | 6.26 ft | 161.72 | |||||
|
Yellow River At Ga 124
USGS 02207120 |
101 cfs | 3.1 ft | 1.41 | |||||
|
Yellow River At Pleasant Hill Rd
USGS 02207220 |
118 cfs | 1.49 ft | 0 | |||||
|
Yellow River At Knox
USGS 05517000 |
257 cfs | 5.24 ft | -7.22 | |||||
|
Yellow River At Ion
USGS 05389000 |
53 cfs | 5.38 ft | -3.48 | |||||
|
Yellow River At Gees Mill Road
USGS 02207335 |
157 cfs | 1.75 ft | 3.29 | |||||
|
Yellow River Nr Oak Grove
USGS 02367900 |
259 cfs | 80.42 ft | 12.61 | |||||
|
Yellow River At Milligan
USGS 02368000 |
351 cfs | 1.01 ft | 11.08 | |||||
|
Yellow River Nr Milton
USGS 02369600 |
670 cfs | 38.6 ft | -44.17 |
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile
The Yellow River or Huang He (listen ) is the second longest river in China, after the Yangtze River, and the sixth longest river system in the world at the estimated length of 5,464 km (3,395 mi). Originating in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai province of Western China, it flows through nine provinces, and it empties into the Bohai Sea near the city of Dongying in Shandong province. The Yellow River basin has an east–west extent of about 1,900 kilometers (1,180 mi) and a north–south extent of about 1,100 km (680 mi). Its total drainage area is about 752,546 square kilometers (290,560 sq mi).
Its basin was the birthplace of ancient Chinese civilization, and it was the most prosperous region in early Chinese history. There are frequent devastating floods and course changes produced by the continual elevation of the river bed, sometimes above the level of its surrounding farm fields.