Flood Potential Outlook
Issued by NWS Goodland, KS

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Winter/Spring Flood Potential Outlook
National Weather Service Goodland KS
241 PM MST Thu Feb 13 2025 /341 PM CST Thu Feb 13 2025/

...Spring Flood and Water Resources Outlook...

This outlook applies to the Goodland Hydrologic Service Area (HSA)
which refers to major rivers located...

- In Yuma, Kit Carson and Cheyenne counties in Colorado
- In Dundy, Hitchcock and Red Willow counties in Nebraska
- In 13 northwest Kansas counties whose southeast boundaries are
delineated by Greeley, Wichita, Logan, Gove, Graham and Norton
counties.

These river systems include:

-The Republican River
-The North and South Forks of the Republican River
-The North and South Forks of the Solomon River
-The Saline and Smoky Hill Rivers
-Beaver, Sappa and Prairie Dog Creeks

This outlook is valid from 13 to 27 February 2025.

Outlooks are routinely issued in February and March to give an
advanced notice of possible flooding. They are based on soil
moisture, snowpack, magnitude and streamflow at the time the outlook
is issued. Outlooks are also based on normal future temperature and
precipitation. Thus, if future conditions are not normal, then
actual crests will differ from this outlook. The vast majority of
flood events in the Goodland Service Area result from short periods
of higher intensity precipitation, or long periods of excessive
precipitation.

For calendar year so far, the region has seen less than an inch of
precipitation, not including the snow from this week. Most of the
precipitation has fallen in eastern Colorado.

Due to snowfall over the past week, there remains between 3 to 10
inches of snowpack across the HSA. Current soil temperatures are
ranging from the upper 20s to low 30s across the HSA with a all
butt a few sites in the southeast reporting sub-freezing
temperatures, according to the latest two and four inch soil
temperatures, courtesy of the Kansas State mesonet.

Soil moisture conditions are currently below normal over the eastern
portions of the HSA and above normal in the western HSA. Below
normal temperatures for the upcoming week are expected to slowly
melt the snowpack, slightly increasing soil moisture.

The current Drought Monitor Index (www.droughtmonitor.unl.edu) shows
Moderate drought over 20% of the HSA, mainly in the northeast. The 3-
month outlook(valid for Feb-Apr), has drought conditions persisting
across the entire Goodland Service Area.

NOAA`s Climate Prediction Center (CPC) (www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov),
shows the latest 8-14 day outlook forecasting above normal
temperatures and below normal precipitation for February 21-27.
The latest 3-month outlook February-April, forecasts near normal
temperatures and below normal precipitation.

Reservoir level conservation pool capacities currently range at
Enders Dam, 18.5 percent. For the Medicine Creek Dam, 90.6 percent.
For the Norton Dam in northwest Kansas, 43 percent. For the Red
Willow Dam, 38.8 percent. The Trenton Dam was not reporting.

These long-range probabilistic outlooks contain forecast values that
are calculated using multiple season scenarios from 30 or more years
of climatological data...including current conditions of the
river...soil moisture...snow cover...and 30 to 90 day long-range
outlooks of temperature and precipitation. By providing a range of
probabilities...the level of risk associated with long-range
planning decisions can be determined. These probabilistic forecasts
are part of the National Weather Service`s advanced hydrologic
prediction service.

Visit our web site weather.gov/gld for more weather and water
information.

Due to dry soil conditions, flooding is unlikely. However, due to
the remaining snowpack, under extreme conditions, flooding could
occur.

The next Spring Flood and Water Resources Outlook will be issued on
February 27.

PROBABILISTIC HYDROLOGIC OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
153 PM MST THU FEB 13 2025

In Table 1 below...the current (CS) and historical (HS) or normal
probabilities of exceeding minor...moderate...and major flood stages
are listed for the valid time period.

CS values indicate the probability of reaching a flood category
based on current conditions.

HS values indicate the probability of reaching a flood category
based on historical or normal conditions.

When the value of CS is more than HS...the probability of
exceeding that level is higher than normal. When the value of CS is
less than HS...the probability of exceeding that level is lower
than normal.


...Table 1--Probabilities for minor...moderate and major flooding...
                    Valid Period:  02/15/2025  - 05/16/2025

                                       :    Current and Historical
                                       :     Chances of Exceeding
                                       :       Flood Categories
                                       :      as a Percentage (%)
                      Categorical      :
                   Flood Stages (FT)   :   Minor    Moderate   Major
Location           Minor   Mod   Major :  CS   HS   CS   HS   CS   HS
--------           -----  -----  ----- : ---  ---  ---  ---  ---  ---
:South Fork Republican River
Benkelman 2ssw       9.0   11.0   13.0 :  <5   <5   <5   <5   <5   <5
:Arikaree River
Haigler             12.0   14.0   16.0 :  <5   <5   <5   <5   <5   <5
:Republican River
Benkelman 1sw        7.0    9.0   11.0 :  <5   <5   <5   <5   <5   <5
Stratton            11.0   13.0   15.0 :  <5   <5   <5   <5   <5   <5
:Frenchman Creek
Culbertson           8.0   10.0   12.0 :  <5   <5   <5   <5   <5   <5
:Driftwood Creek
McCook 4sw          17.0   19.0   21.0 :  <5   <5   <5   <5   <5   <5
:Republican River
Mccook 1se           9.0   11.0   13.0 :  <5   <5   <5   <5   <5   <5
:Beaver Creek
Ludell               9.0   11.0   13.0 :   8    9   <5   <5   <5   <5
Cedar Bluffs        16.0   18.0   20.0 :  <5   <5   <5   <5   <5   <5
:Sappa Creek
Oberlin 1sw         11.0   14.0   17.0 :   7    9   <5   <5   <5   <5
Norcatur 15ne       17.0   20.0   22.0 :  <5   <5   <5   <5   <5   <5
:Smoky Hill River
Oakley               9.0   11.0   13.0 :  <5    6   <5   <5   <5   <5
:Hackberry Creek
Gove                19.0   21.0   23.0 :  <5   <5   <5   <5   <5   <5
:North Fork Solomon River
Lenora              10.0   12.0   14.0 :  <5   <5   <5   <5   <5   <5

Legend
CS = Conditional Simulation (Current Outlook)
HS = Historical Simulation
FT = Feet

In Table 2 below...the 95 through 5 percent columns indicate the
probability of exceeding the listed stage levels (FT) for the valid
time period.

...Table 2--Exceedance Probabilities...

                               Chance of Exceeding Stages
                                  at Specific Locations
                          Valid Period: 02/15/2025  - 05/16/2025
Location              95%    90%    75%    50%    25%    10%     5%
--------            ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
:South Fork Republican River
Benkelman 2ssw        2.0    2.0    2.0    2.1    2.4    3.0    4.5
:Arikaree River
Haigler               7.1    7.1    7.1    7.3    7.8    9.2    9.4
:Republican River
Benkelman 1sw         4.6    4.6    4.6    4.6    5.2    5.6    6.2
Stratton              6.3    6.3    6.3    6.4    7.3    8.0    8.9
:Frenchman Creek
Culbertson            3.5    3.5    3.5    3.5    4.0    4.5    6.0
:Driftwood Creek
McCook 4sw            2.4    2.4    2.4    2.5    6.2    9.2   14.0
:Republican River
Mccook 1se            4.3    4.3    4.3    4.4    5.3    6.3    7.9
:Beaver Creek
Ludell                3.8    3.8    3.8    3.8    6.0    8.1    9.7
Cedar Bluffs          3.3    3.3    3.3    3.3    5.6    7.9    9.4
:Sappa Creek
Oberlin 1sw           3.4    3.4    3.4    3.4    6.0    8.5   12.9
Norcatur 15ne         5.5    5.5    5.5    5.5    7.3   10.0   15.0
:Smoky Hill River
Oakley                4.1    4.1    4.1    5.9    6.5    7.3    8.4
:Hackberry Creek
Gove                  4.1    4.1    4.1    4.1    4.2    4.4    9.1
:North Fork Solomon River
Lenora                2.2    2.2    2.2    2.2    4.3    5.6    6.0


In Table 3 below...the 95 through 5 percent columns indicate the
probability of falling below the listed stage levels (FT) for the
valid time period.

...Table 3--Nonexceedance Probabilities...

                            Chance of Falling Below Stages
                                 at Specific Locations
                          Valid Period: 02/15/2025  - 05/16/2025
Location              95%    90%    75%    50%    25%    10%     5%
--------            ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
:South Fork Republican River
Benkelman 2ssw        1.7    1.7    1.7    1.5    1.5    1.5    1.5
:Arikaree River
Haigler               5.6    5.6    5.6    5.6    5.6    5.6    5.6
:Republican River
Benkelman 1sw         4.0    3.7    3.6    3.4    3.3    3.3    3.3
Stratton              6.0    5.6    5.4    5.1    4.9    4.9    4.9
:Frenchman Creek
Culbertson            2.2    2.2    2.2    2.1    2.1    2.1    2.1
:Driftwood Creek
McCook 4sw            2.4    2.4    2.4    2.4    2.4    2.4    2.4
:Republican River
Mccook 1se            3.6    3.6    3.5    3.4    3.4    3.4    3.4
:Beaver Creek
Ludell                2.0    2.0    2.0    2.0    2.0    2.0    2.0
Cedar Bluffs          3.3    3.3    3.3    3.3    3.3    3.3    3.3
:Sappa Creek
Oberlin 1sw           2.0    2.0    2.0    2.0    2.0    2.0    2.0
Norcatur 15ne         4.9    4.8    4.6    4.0    3.5    3.0    3.0
:Smoky Hill River
Oakley                3.9    3.9    3.9    3.9    3.9    3.9    3.9
:Hackberry Creek
Gove                  4.1    4.1    4.1    4.1    4.1    4.1    4.1
:North Fork Solomon River
Lenora                1.4    1.3    1.0    0.7    0.4    0.2    0.0


These long-range probabilistic outlooks contain forecast values that
are calculated using multiple season scenarios from 30 or more years
of climatological data...including current conditions of the
river...soil moisture...snow cover...and 30 to 90 day long-range
outlooks of temperature and precipitation. By providing a range of
probabilities...the level of risk associated with long-range planning
decisions can be determined. These probabilistic forecasts are part
of the National Weather Service`s advanced hydrologic prediction
service.

Visit our web site weather.gov/gld for more weather and water
information.

The next outlook will be issued on February 27.

$$