More rain may cause flooding

A new surge of rainfall today could send rivers in Northwest Montana above flood stage.

With storms expected to dump as much as an inch of rain in the mountains, the National Weather Service on Monday issued a flood watch for Flathead and Lincoln counties.

“The Flathead River at Columbia Falls may exceed flood stage within the next 48 hours due to rainfall and snowmelt,” the afternoon advisory from the Weather Service said.

Monday afternoon, the Flathead River was running at 13.69 feet. Flood stage is 14 feet although little damage occurs at that level.

Smaller streams across Flathead County also could rise sharply if there is heavy rainfall in specific drainages.

The Whitefish River on Monday was running right at its 9-foot flood stage and is expected to continue to flow at that level until Friday.

Lincoln County also is expected to receive heavy rainfall that will affect waterways, particularly the Kootenai River at Bonners Ferry, Idaho, where the river is expected to rise above flood stage.

While heavy rain is forecast for the mountains of Northwest Montana,  showers and possibly thunderstorms are predicted for the Flathead Valley.

There is a 100 percent chance of precipitation today and 70 percent chance tonight.

The Flathead Valley already has been inundated during a record wet June.

So far this month, 5.73 inches of rain have been measured at Glacier Park International Airport. That’s 3.62 inches above normal for June and the rainiest June on record for the Flathead.

Since Jan. 1, the Flathead Valley has received 13 inches of precipitation, which is 4.28 inches above normal.