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More flood and winter weather watches announced for western Montana

Montana Public Radio | By Edward F. O'Brien

Published June 10, 2022 at 5:40 PM MDT

A weather system is edging into western Montana that forecasters are calling “excessive rainfall.” A handful of flood watches are now posted for the region.

The list of flood and winter weather watches associated with excessive precipitation continues to grow.

The incoming ‘atmospheric river’ is bringing 200% - 300% of normal moisture into the northern Rockies this weekend, according to the National Weather Service.

Flooding is possible in western Montana’s Flathead, Mission, Missoula and Bitterroot valleys, as well as the Kootenai, Cabinet and Lower Clark Fork regions. Flood watches are in effect from Saturday evening through Monday afternoon.

High water levels in Gardner River alongside the North Entrance Road

Yellowstone National Park closes entrances, residents evacuate Red Lodge as floods sweep across Montana

Severe storms across Montana over the weekend and into Monday forced some residents to evacuate and prompted a rare closure of all entrances to Yellowstone National Park.

In southwest Montana rain and snowmelt runoff will likely cause smaller streams and rivers to swell to near or above bank-full Saturday through Monday.

The possibility of heavy, wet snow accumulations above 5,000 feet has prompted winter storm watches to be issued early next week for the Rocky Mountain Front and the West Glacier regions.

Those watches are in effect from Monday evening through late Tuesday night.

The likelihood for snow to accumulate above 5000 feet in northwest Montana is increasing, particularly along the Divide and Glacier National Park. A major threat will exist to anyone caught in the backcountry during this time. Raw, cold, windy, and snowy conditions will exist, and those unprepared could experience life threatening circumstances, particularly if they are caught unaware. Snow will also impact backcountry roads.