Red Flag Warning
2026-04-13T20:00:00-06:00

* AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 214, 216, 238, 241, 242, 246 and 247. * TIMING...From 11 AM this morning to 8 PM MDT this evening. * WINDS...Southwest 10 to 20 mph with gusts around 30 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 10 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.

Yellowstone River

Last Updated: April 13, 2026

Total streamflow across the Yellowstone River was last observed at 49,588 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 98,357 acre-ft of water today; about 97% of normal. Average streamflow for this time of year is 51,047 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2011-05-25 when daily discharge volume was observed at 448,060 cfs.

Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Yellowstone River At Forsyth Mt reporting a streamflow rate of 9,430 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Yellowstone River At Glendive Mt with a gauge stage of 43.72 ft. This river is monitored from 9 different streamgauging stations along the Yellowstone River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 7,731 ft, the Yellowstone River At Yellowstone Lk Outlet Ynp.

The Yellowstone River is a major tributary of the Missouri River, spanning 692 miles from its source in Wyoming to its mouth in North Dakota.


15-Day Long Term Forecast


River Details

Last Updated 2026-04-13
Discharge Volume 98,357 ACRE-FT
Streamflow 49,588.0 cfs
Past 24 Hours: +1782.0 cfs (+3.73%)
Percent of Normal 97.14%
Maximum 448,060.0 cfs
2011-05-25
Seasonal Avg 51,047 cfs
       
River Streamflow Levels
Streamgauge Streamflow Gauge Stage 24hr Change (%) % Normal Minimum (cfs) Maximum (cfs) Air Temp Elevation
Yellowstone River At Yellowstone Lk Outlet Ynp
USGS 06186500
628 cfs 2.81 ft -4.27
Yellowstone River Near Altonah
USGS 09292500
123 cfs 1.24 ft -7.52
Yellowstone River At Corwin Springs Mt
USGS 06191500
3540 cfs 3.14 ft 0.57
Yellowstone River Near Livingston Mt
USGS 06192500
4270 cfs 2.8 ft 1.67
Yellowstone River At Billings Mt
USGS 06214500
6580 cfs 4.1 ft 9.67
Yellowstone River At Forsyth Mt
USGS 06295000
9430 cfs 2.76 ft 2.5
Yellowstone River At Miles City Mt
USGS 06309000
8650 cfs 3.9 ft 3.84
Yellowstone River At Glendive Mt
USGS 06327500
8230 cfs 43.72 ft 4.57
Yellowstone River Near Sidney Mt
USGS 06329500
8260 cfs 3.84 ft 2.86
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile

The Yellowstone River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 692 miles (1,114 km) long, in the western United States. Considered the principal tributary of the upper Missouri, the river and its tributaries drain a wide area stretching from the Rocky Mountains in the vicinity of Yellowstone National Park across the mountains and high plains of southern Montana and northern Wyoming.