Cool weather slows melting of snowpack

The Daily Inter Lake

Area rivers will continue to run swiftly, but water levels - after experiencing a small bump in the short-term - are predicted to drop throughout next week.

Lower temperatures in the Flathead River Basin's middle to higher elevations has moderated runoff while generating what National Weather Service meteorologist Bruce Bauck called the "orderly" reduction of snowpack.

Those temperatures, in the high 30s to lower 40s, are expected to continue into the middle of next week,

"That's not enough to bring that snow off," Bauck said. "It's kind of the best-case scenario that's happening right now."

The Flathead River at Columbia Falls, which hit 12.04 feet Friday, is expected to continue rising until it crests at 12.89 feet Sunday evening. After cresting, the river is expected to drop back below 12 feet by June 7. Flood stage on the Flathead River is 14 feet.

The North Fork at Polebridge is expected to reach 10.8 feet Sunday afternoon before falling to below 10 feet by June 6. Flood stage is 12 feet. The Middle Fork at West Glacier is expected to reach 8.44 feet Sunday evening before dropping below 7.5 feet by June 7. Flood stage is 10 feet.

The Glacier View Golf Club in West Glacier is fully open. Three holes were closed by flooding on May 19, but were soon reopened after water levels on the Middle Fork dropped.

Smaller rivers in the area also are predicted to stay well below flood stage.

While heavy in certain areas, recent rains haven't been widespread enough to have much impact on river levels, said Bauck, noting that much of the precipitation in the last two days fell into snowpack or was absorbed by the ground.

However, persistent snowpack throughout the Flathead River basin - if coupled with high temperatures in the higher elevations and heavy rain - may raise water levels and possibly cause flooding later in June, Bauck said.

Snowpack in the Flathead River Basin is at 135 percent of normal for this time of year, Bauck said. In some portions of Glacier National Park, snowpack is at 200 percent of normal.

"Certainly there's a lot of potential there," Bauck said. "It's not going to go away tomorrow."