Making up for lost time

With another half-inch or so of rain on Tuesday, the Flathead Valley's moisture deficit is rapidly disappearing.

After falling about 40 percent behind average earlier this year, the area's annual precipitation total is now almost back to normal, with more rain in the forecast.

Through Monday, the National Weather Service had recorded 2.41 inches of total precipitation here just in June, well above the 30-year average of 1.93 inches.

That brought the annual total up to 6.73 inches - still about three-quarters of an inch behind the norm, but a sharp improvement over the 2.67-inch deficit at the end of May.

Tuesday's rainfall will bring things even closer to the average. However, the water is coming down so fast it's also raising fears about spot flooding.

Gene Lee, for example, has farmed about 250 acres along the Flathead River near Creston since 1969. He said he's gotten almost five inches of rain in the last week, including a half-inch Monday night.

"I've got water [from the river] coming onto my lawn and pouring into my fields," Lee said. "There's less than five acres covered right now, but for every one-inch rise, it comes back another hundred feet."

In the last week, the river level has jumped more than three feet, from 8 feet to about 11.4 feet at Columbia Falls, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The official flood stage is 14 feet, but some low-lying areas are affected prior to that.

"We're in trouble if we get rain for the next six or seven days," Lee said.

There have also been reports of limited flooding, debris jams and plugged culverts along several creeks on the east side of the valley.

Alan Marble, head of the county's Office of Emergency Services, could not be reached for comment regarding the latest conditions.

Tuesday's weather prompted Glacier National Park officials to close a 12-mile section of Going-to-the-Sun Road, from the Loop to Jackson Glacier Overlook. They said snow, wind and poor visibility made driving conditions in the alpine terrain unsafe.

The upper road over Logan Pass will be reopened as weather conditions permit.

Department of Transportation officials said considerable progress has been made on emergency repairs to Montana 35, which had a couple of washouts and a slide late last week and over the weekend.

Repairs are continuing today. Motorists are advised to expect delays, with temporary signals and one-lane traffic in some areas.

The National Weather Service is forecasting more rain for the area today and tomorrow, with a 30-60 percent chance of additional precipitation every day through Sunday.

Reporter Bill Spence may be reached at 758-4459 or by e-mail at bspence@dailyinterlake.com