586  
FGUS73 KBIS 251925  
ESFBIS  
NDC009-013-023-049-069-075-079-101-271900-  
 
PROBABILISTIC HYDROLOGIC OUTLOOK  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND  
225 PM CDT THU APR 25 2024  
   
..FLOOD AND WATER RESOURCES OUTLOOK
 
 
 
THIS FLOOD AND WATER RESOURCES OUTLOOK IS FOR THE SOURIS  
RIVER BASIN OF NORTH DAKOTA, COVERING THE PERIOD OF 29 APRIL THROUGH  
28 JULY, 2024. THIS IS A MONTHLY ISSUANCE OF THE 90-DAY FLOOD RISKS  
FOR THE SOURIS RIVER BASIN OF NORTH DAKOTA. THESE PROBABILITIES ARE  
UPDATED ON OR AROUND, THE FOURTH THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH.  
 
THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE HAS FOUR SECTIONS. THE FIRST PROVIDES SOME  
TEXT ON THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS OUTLOOK AND CONDITIONS AFFECTING THE  
LOCAL HYDROLOGY. THE SECOND SECTION GIVES THE CURRENT AND  
NORMAL/HISTORICAL RISKS OF FLOODING AS DETERMINED BY THE ENSEMBLE  
STREAMFLOW FORECAST MODEL OF THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. THE THIRD  
SECTION GIVES THE CURRENT PROBABILITIES FOR REACHING FLOOD STAGE AT  
THE LISTED FORECAST LOCATIONS. AND FINALLY, THE FOURTH SECTION  
COVERS THE RISK OF THE RIVER SITES FALLING BELOW THE LISTED STAGES.  
   
..FLOOD OUTLOOK HIGHLIGHTS
 
 
WITH ESSENTIALLY ZERO SNOWPACK REMAINING IN THE NORTH DAKOTA PORTION  
OF THE SOURIS RIVER BASIN, THE REGION HAS LARGELY DODGED NORMAL  
AMOUNTS OF SPRING TIME FLOODING. WITHOUT A SIGNIFICANT SNOWPACK, THE  
BASIN IS GENERALLY IN THE RANGE OF WELL BELOW NORMAL, TO SLIGHTLY  
BELOW NORMAL RISK OF FLOODING OVER THE NEXT 90S DAYS. WHAT RISK IS  
PRESENT IN THE BELOW TABLES IS DUE TO THE REGION NOW ENTERING ITS  
SUMMER, SEVERE THUNDERSTORM SEASON WHERE HEAVY RAINS CAN POSE  
PROBLEMS. HOWEVER, IN GENERAL THE RISKS ARE STILL WELL BELOW NORMAL  
FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR.  
   
..SNOWPACK CONDITIONS
 
 
WHILE THERE MAY BE A FEW DRIFTS OF SNOW IN PROTECTED AREAS, NO  
SIGNFICANT SNOWPACK EXISTS OVERALL IN THE SOURIS RIVER BASIN OF  
NORTH DAKOTA.  
   
..SOIL CONDITIONS
 
 
SOIL MOISTURE VALUES ACROSS THE SOURIS RIVER BASIN ARE MOSTLY NEAR  
NORMAL WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE TURTLE MOUNTAIN AREA WHERE IT IS  
GENERALLY BELOW THE 30TH PERCENTILE.  
   
..CURRENT DROUGHT CONDITIONS
 
 
MOST OF THE SOURIS RIVER BASIN OF NORTH DAKOTA IS DEPICTED AS IN D0  
(ABNORMALLY DRY), WITH A SMALL SLIVER OF WESTERN LONG CREEK  
WATERSHED SHOWN AS IN D1 (MODERATE DROUGHT) IN THE VERY NORTHWEST  
CORNER OF THE STATE.  
   
..RESERVOIRS AND NATURAL WETLANDS
 
 
LAKE DARLING ABOVE MINOT ALONG WITH THE SASKATCHEWAN RESERVOIR OF  
GRANT DEVINE ARE GENERALLY AT THEIR SUMMERTIME FULL SUPPLY LEVEL.  
HOWEVER, RAFFERTY AND BOUNDARY DAMS IN SASKATCHEWAN ARE NOT EXPECTED  
TO REACH THEIR FULL SUPPLY LEVEL THIS SUMMER WITHOUT THE HELP OF  
SOME TIMELY RAINFALL. THE MAJORITY OF NATURAL WETLANDS AND LAKES  
ALSO ARE AT, OR NEAR NORMAL WATER LEVELS GOING INTO SPRING.  
   
..WEATHER OUTLOOK
 
 
NEAR TERM, AS IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS, RAIN IS EXPECTED OVER MOST OF  
NORTH DAKOTA. THIS SHOULD PUT THE REGION ON TRACK TO ENTER MAY WITH  
AT LEAST A STABLE POSITION ON THE DROUGHT FRONT. THE 6-10 AND 8-14  
DAY OUTLOOKS FAVOR AN ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION  
PATTERN. THE STRENGTH OF THIS ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURE AND  
PRECIPITATION PATTERN SLIGHTLY WANES IN THE WEEKS 3-4 OUTLOOKS  
BEFORE ALL OF THE SOURIS RIVER BASIN IN NORTH DAKOTA SLIDES INTO THE  
EQUAL CHANCES CATEGORY FOR ABOVE NORMAL, NEAR NORMAL,  
OR BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION FOR THE ENTIRETY OF  
MAY AND AGAIN IN THE 3-MONTH OUTLOOK FOR MAY, JUNE AND JULY.  
   
..ICE CONDITIONS
 
 
NO ICE IS KNOWN TO EXIST ALONG THE SOURIS RIVER AND ITS TRIBUTARIES  
IN NORTH DAKOTA.  
 
IN TABLE 1 BELOW, THE CURRENT (CS) AND HISTORICAL (HS) OR NORMAL  
PROBABILITIES OF EXCEEDING MINOR...MODERATE...AND MAJOR FLOOD STAGE  
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 GREATER 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: 04/29/2024 - 07/28/2024  
: 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  
-------- ----- ----- ----- : --- --- --- --- --- ---  
:DES LACS  
FOXHOLM 1651.0 1653.0 1654.0 : <5 <5 <5 <5 <5 <5  
:SOURIS  
SHERWOOD 1623.0 1625.0 1630.0 : <5 6 <5 <5 <5 <5  
FOXHOLM 1573.0 1576.0 1578.0 : 8 30 <5 12 <5 <5  
MINOT 1562.0 1565.0 1570.0 : <5 8 <5 <5 <5 <5  
MINOT 1551.0 1553.0 1557.0 : <5 <5 <5 <5 <5 <5  
LOGAN 1536.0 1538.0 1540.0 : <5 10 <5 <5 <5 <5  
SAWYER 1524.0 1526.0 1528.0 : <5 <5 <5 <5 <5 <5  
VELVA 1507.0 1512.0 1517.0 : <5 9 <5 <5 <5 <5  
:WINTERING  
KARLSRUHE 1509.0 1511.0 1512.0 : <5 6 <5 <5 <5 <5  
:SOURIS  
TOWNER 1454.0 1456.0 1458.0 : 20 48 9 19 <5 <5  
BANTRY 1440.0 1441.0 1443.0 : 20 49 15 33 <5 <5  
:WILLOW CREEK  
WILLOW CITY 1442.0 1446.0 1448.0 : 12 35 7 10 <5 <5  
:SOURIS  
WESTHOPE 1414.0 1418.0 1420.0 : 13 47 6 20 <5 12  
 
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: 04/29/2024 - 07/28/2024  
LOCATION 95% 90% 75% 50% 25% 10% 5%  
-------- ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------  
:DES LACS  
FOXHOLM 1639.5 1639.5 1639.5 1640.7 1642.4 1644.2 1645.7  
:SOURIS  
SHERWOOD 1606.8 1606.9 1607.5 1610.0 1612.4 1618.0 1620.4  
FOXHOLM 1567.9 1568.3 1569.0 1570.5 1571.0 1571.6 1574.5  
MINOT 1551.2 1551.4 1551.8 1553.6 1554.7 1556.1 1558.3  
MINOT 1541.5 1541.6 1541.6 1542.6 1543.1 1544.1 1544.8  
LOGAN 1521.2 1521.8 1523.2 1525.7 1527.1 1531.5 1533.6  
SAWYER 1507.9 1508.2 1509.5 1511.2 1512.5 1518.6 1520.0  
VELVA 1491.5 1492.0 1492.8 1495.3 1496.6 1504.2 1505.4  
:WINTERING  
KARLSRUHE 1504.3 1504.3 1504.3 1504.5 1506.8 1508.1 1508.6  
:SOURIS  
TOWNER 1449.8 1449.8 1449.8 1451.5 1453.1 1455.6 1456.3  
BANTRY 1436.0 1436.0 1436.0 1436.8 1439.0 1441.4 1441.9  
:WILLOW CREEK  
WILLOW CITY 1436.9 1436.9 1436.9 1437.1 1438.0 1444.3 1446.8  
:SOURIS  
WESTHOPE 1411.1 1411.1 1411.1 1411.8 1412.5 1415.5 1418.5  
 
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: 04/29/2024 - 07/28/2024  
LOCATION 95% 90% 75% 50% 25% 10% 5%  
-------- ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------  
:DES LACS  
FOXHOLM 1639.4 1639.3 1639.1 1639.0 1638.9 1638.9 1638.9  
:SOURIS  
SHERWOOD 1606.6 1606.4 1606.2 1605.8 1605.8 1605.8 1605.8  
FOXHOLM 1566.5 1566.5 1566.5 1566.5 1566.5 1566.5 1566.5  
MINOT 1551.0 1550.9 1550.9 1550.8 1550.7 1550.7 1550.7  
MINOT 1541.4 1541.3 1541.3 1541.2 1541.1 1541.1 1541.1  
LOGAN 1520.5 1520.1 1520.0 1519.9 1519.8 1519.8 1519.8  
SAWYER 1507.6 1507.2 1506.8 1506.7 1506.6 1506.6 1506.6  
VELVA 1491.3 1490.7 1490.2 1490.2 1490.2 1490.2 1490.2  
:WINTERING  
KARLSRUHE 1504.0 1503.6 1503.2 1503.0 1503.0 1503.0 1503.0  
:SOURIS  
TOWNER 1446.1 1446.0 1445.6 1445.1 1445.0 1444.9 1444.9  
BANTRY 1432.0 1431.9 1431.4 1431.0 1430.9 1430.8 1430.8  
:WILLOW CREEK  
WILLOW CITY 1436.7 1436.6 1436.1 1436.1 1436.1 1436.1 1436.1  
:SOURIS  
WESTHOPE 1410.8 1410.4 1410.1 1409.8 1409.7 1409.7 1409.7  
 
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/BIS FOR MORE WEATHER AND WATER  
INFORMATION.  
 
THE NEXT OUTLOOK WILL BE ISSUED BY THE END OF MAY.  
 

 
 
SCHLAG  
 
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