Alert archive / Montana / Areal Flood Warnings in 2011

Areal Flood Warning 21, NWS Missoula, MT

June 7, 2011Missoula County, Ravalli County, Montana

NWS Missoula, MT issued this areal flood warning at Jun 7, 2011, 9:51 AM MDT for Missoula County, Ravalli County, Montana. It was in force for 3 days. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Jun 7, 2011, 9:51 AM MDT (15:51 UTC)
Expired
Jun 10, 2011, 11:47 AM MDT
In force
3 days
Issued by
NWS Missoula, MT
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties Missoula County, MT, Ravalli County, MT

The radar

The Missoula radar (KMSX), 28 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 15:52 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The nearest sounding before it

Spokane, WA (KOTX), launched 12:00Z, 3.9 hours before the alert went out and 201 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Spokane, WA at 12:00Z on 2011-06-07Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Spokane, WA at 12:00Z on 2011-06-07The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 65 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
2 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-304 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
834 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
21 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
65 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
76 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

993 
WGUS45 KMSO 071551
FLWMSO

FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
951 AM MDT TUE JUN 7 2011

MTC063-081-081545-
/O.NEW.KMSO.FA.W.0021.110607T1551Z-110608T1545Z/
/00000.0.RS.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
951 AM MDT TUE JUN 7 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MISSOULA HAS ISSUED A

* FLOOD WARNING FOR BITTERROOT RIVER NEAR MISSOULA IN...
  SOUTH CENTRAL MISSOULA COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL MONTANA...

* UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

* AT 9:45 AM TUESDAY THE STAGE WAS 9.5 FEET.
 
* MINOR FLOODING IS FORECAST. 

* FLOOD STAGE IS 11.0 FEET.

* FORECAST...RIVER WILL EXCEED FLOOD STAGE OF 11.0 FEET BY WEDNESDAY 
  MORNING...AND THEN CONTINUE TO RISE BETWEEN 11.0 AND 12.0 FEET.
 
* AT 12.0 FEET...FLOODING OF FARMLAND AND SOME ROADS ALONG THE 
  BITTERROOT RIVER FROM LOLO TO THE CONFLUENCE WITH THE CLARK FORK 
  RIVER IS POSSIBLE.
 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. NEVER DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO
AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. FLOOD WATERS ARE USUALLY
DEEPER THAN THEY APPEAR. JUST ONE FOOT OF FLOWING WATER IS POWERFUL
ENOUGH TO SWEEP VEHICLES OFF THE ROAD. WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODED
ROADS MAKE THE SMART CHOICE...TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN.

&&

LAT...LON 4687 11413 4687 11408 4686 11405 4679 11400
      4666 11398 4666 11414 4677 11412 4686 11415

$$
4 follow-up statements
535 
WGUS45 KMSO 081534 RRA
FLWMSO

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
934 AM MDT WED JUN 8 2011

MTC063-081-081945-
/O.EXT.KMSO.FA.W.0021.000000T0000Z-110608T1945Z/
/00000.0.RS.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
934 AM MDT WED JUN 8 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MISSOULA HAS EXTENDED THE

* FLOOD WARNING FOR THE BITTERROOT RIVER NEAR MISSOULA IN
  NORTHERN RAVALLI COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL MONTANA...
  SOUTHERN MISSOULA COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL MONTANA...

* UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

* FORECAST...RIVER WILL CONTINUE TO RISE ABOVE FLOOD STAGE WEDNESDAY.
  THE RIVER WILL PEAK BETWEEN 11 AND 12 FEET THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY.

* AT 12.0 FEET...FLOODING OF FARMLAND AND SOME ROADS ALONG THE 
  BITTERROOT RIVER FROM LOLO TO THE CONFLUENCE WITH THE CLARK FORK 
  RIVER IS POSSIBLE.

LAT...LON 4687 11413 4687 11408 4686 11405 4679 11400
      4666 11398 4666 11414 4677 11412 4686 11415

$$
988 
WGUS45 KMSO 081809
FLWMSO

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
1209 PM MDT WED JUN 8 2011

MTC063-081-091945-
/O.EXT.KMSO.FA.W.0021.000000T0000Z-110609T1945Z/
/00000.0.RS.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
1209 PM MDT WED JUN 8 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MISSOULA HAS EXTENDED THE

* FLOOD WARNING FOR THE BITTERROOT RIVER NEAR MISSOULA IN
  NORTHERN RAVALLI COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL MONTANA...
  SOUTHERN MISSOULA COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL MONTANA...

* FORECAST...RIVER WILL CONTINUE TO RISE ABOVE FLOOD STAGE WEDNESDAY.
  THE RIVER WILL PEAK BETWEEN 11 AND 12 FEET THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY.

* AT 12.0 FEET...FLOODING OF FARMLAND AND SOME ROADS ALONG THE 
  BITTERROOT RIVER FROM LOLO TO THE CONFLUENCE WITH THE CLARK FORK 
  RIVER IS POSSIBLE.

LAT...LON 4687 11413 4687 11408 4686 11405 4679 11400
      4666 11398 4666 11414 4677 11412 4686 11415

$$
939 
WGUS45 KMSO 091904
FLWMSO

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
104 PM MDT THU JUN 9 2011

MTC063-081-101945-
/O.EXT.KMSO.FA.W.0021.000000T0000Z-110610T1945Z/
/00000.0.RS.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
104 PM MDT THU JUN 9 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MISSOULA HAS EXTENDED THE

* FLOOD WARNING FOR THE BITTERROOT RIVER NEAR MISSOULA IN...
  NORTHERN RAVALLI COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL MONTANA...
  SOUTHERN MISSOULA COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL MONTANA...

* UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

* AT 12:45 PM THURSDAY THE STAGE WAS 11.3 FEET. 

* MINOR FLOODING IS OCCURRING AND MINOR FLOODING IS FORECAST.
* FLOOD STAGE IS 11.0 FEET. 

* FORECAST...THE RIVER LEVEL WILL REMAIN ABOVE FLOOD STAGE THROUGH
  FRIDAY. READINGS WILL SLOWLY DECREASE THROUGH THE WEEKEND.
  HOWEVER...RIVER LEVELS WILL CONTINUE TO FLOW FAST AND HIGH EVEN WHEN
  READINGS FALL BELOW FLOOD STAGE. 

* AT 11.0 FEET...FLOODING TO LOW LYING AREAS ADJACENT TO THE RIVER IS 
  POSSIBLE.


LAT...LON 4687 11413 4687 11408 4686 11405 4679 11400
      4666 11398 4666 11414 4677 11412 4686 11415

$$
533 
WGUS85 KMSO 101747
FLSMSO

FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
1147 AM MDT FRI JUN 10 2011

MTC063-081-101756-
/O.CAN.KMSO.FA.W.0021.000000T0000Z-110610T1945Z/
/00000.0.RS.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
MISSOULA MT-RAVALLI MT-
1147 AM MDT FRI JUN 10 2011

...THE FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE BITTERROOT
RIVER NEAR MISSOULA FOR SOUTHERN MISSOULA AND NORTHERN 
RAVALLI COUNTIES IN WEST CENTRAL MONTANA...

THE RIVER LEVEL HAS BEGUN A SLOW DECREASE AND HAS FALLEN BELOW
FLOOD STAGE. HOWEVER...LOW LYING AREAS AROUND THE RIVER CHANNEL 
MAY STILL SEE LOCALIZED FLOODING. DESPITE THE LEVEL FALLING
BELOW FLOOD STAGE...THE RIVER WILL STILL BE FLOWING HIGH AND 
FAST THROUGH THE WEEKEND.


LAT...LON 4687 11413 4687 11408 4686 11405 4679 11400
      4666 11398 4666 11414 4677 11412 4686 11415

$$

The office that day

Everything else NWS Missoula, MT issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 6, 11:35 PM MDTAreal Flood WarningMSOLincoln57 hr
Jun 7, 5:18 AM MDTAreal Flood WarningMSORavalli52 hr
Jun 7, 9:41 AM MDTAreal Flood WarningMSOFlathead48 hr
Jun 7, 9:46 AM MDTAreal Flood WarningMSORavalli47 hr
Jun 7, 9:59 AM MDTAreal Flood WarningMSOGranite, Missoula3 days
Jun 7, 10:04 AM MDTAreal Flood WarningMSOSanders10 days
Jun 7, 10:27 AM MDTAreal Flood WarningMSOLake70 hr
Jun 7, 10:33 AM MDTAreal Flood WarningMSORavalli26 hr
Jun 7, 12:30 PM MDTAreal Flood WarningMSOGranite47 hr
Jun 7, 4:33 PM MDTAreal Flood WarningMSODeer Lodge43 hr
Jun 7, 4:51 PM MDTAreal Flood WarningMSOMissoula67 hr
Jun 7, 5:19 PM MDTAreal Flood WarningMSOMissoula, Powell66 hr
Jun 7, 5:26 PM MDTAreal Flood WarningMSOGranite, Missoula10 days
Jun 7, 5:55 PM MDTAreal Flood WarningMSOPowell65 hr

Nearby

Areal Flood Warnings in Montana, 2011Every areal flood warning in 2011

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.