236  
FGUS73 KLBF 140012  
ESFLBF  
NEC005-009-015-017-029-031-041-049-063-069-071-075-085-089-091-101-  
103-111-113-115-117-135-149-161-171-183-271800-  
 
PROBABILISTIC HYDROLOGIC OUTLOOK  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE  
712 PM CDT THU MAR 13 2025  
   
..SPRING FLOOD AND WATER RESOURCE OUTLOOK NUMBER 3  
 
   
..A BELOW AVERAGE FLOOD POTENTIAL FROM SPRING SNOWMELT  
 
THIS SPRING FLOOD AND WATER RESOURCE OUTLOOK IS FOR THE NORTH  
PLATTE HYDROLOGIC SERVICE AREA, WHICH COVERS WESTERN AND NORTH  
CENTRAL NEBRASKA. THE RIVER BASINS INCLUDE: THE NORTH PLATTE  
AND SOUTH PLATTE RIVERS AND THE PLATTE RIVER IN WESTERN NEBRASKA,  
FRENCHMAN CREEK AND STINKING WATER CREEK IN SOUTHWEST NEBRASKA,  
THE LOUP AND DISMAL RIVERS IN THE SANDHILLS OF NEBRASKA, AND  
PORTIONS OF THE ELKHORN AND NIOBRARA RIVERS IN NORTH CENTRAL  
NEBRASKA.  
   
FLOOD OUTLOOK SUMMARY  
 
A BELOW AVERAGE FLOOD POTENTIAL IS EXPECTED FROM SPRING SNOWMELT. IT  
WAS A VERY DRY WINTER THROUGH JANUARY, FOLLOWED BY 6 TO 12 INCHES OF  
SNOWFALL DURING THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY AND 6 TO 12 INCHES ACROSS  
NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA IN MARCH. DUE TO RECENT WARM TEMPERATURES, ALL  
SNOW COVER HAS MELTED.  
 
THE POTENTIAL FOR RAINFALL INDUCED FLASH FLOODING IS NOT QUANTIFIABLE.  
THIS TYPE OF FLOODING IS MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR DURING THE LATE SPRING  
AND SUMMER MONTHS.  
   
SNOW COVER AND MOUNTAIN SNOWPACK  
 
AS OF MARCH 13TH, NO SNOW COVER EXISTED ACROSS WESTERN AND NORTH  
CENTRAL NEBRASKA. MARCH AND APRIL ARE STILL TYPICALLY SNOWY MONTHS,  
SO ADDITIONAL SNOWFALL IS POSSIBLE.  
 
SNOWPACK CONDITIONS IN THE NORTH PLATTE AND SOUTH PLATTE RIVER  
BASINS IN COLORADO AND WYOMING ARE CURRENTLY NEAR AVERAGE. SNOW  
WATER EQUIVALENTS RANGED FROM NEAR 100 PERCENT OF AVERAGE FOR THE  
NORTH PLATTE BASIN AND SOUTH PLATTE BASIN. THESE VALUES ARE SLIGHTLY  
HIGHER THAN LAST YEAR. A BELOW AVERAGE FLOOD POTENTIAL IS EXPECTED  
FROM MOUNTAIN SNOWMELT RUNOFF.  
   
RESERVOIR CONDITIONS  
 
NORMAL OPERATIONS ARE ONGOING AT RESERVOIRS ALONG THE NORTH PLATTE  
RIVER FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. RELEASES FROM THESE DAMS HAVE BEEN  
LIMITED THROUGH THE WINTER MONTHS, WITH INFLOWS GENERALLY COMING  
FROM MELTING SNOW. BECAUSE OF THESE OPERATIONS, RESERVOIR LEVELS  
HAVE RISEN THOUGH THE WINTER MONTHS. THE CURRENT RESERVOIR STORAGE  
ACROSS WYOMING, AS WELL AS LAKE MCCONAUGHY, ARE BELOW AVERAGE FOR  
THIS TIME OF YEAR.  
   
SOIL CONDITIONS AND FROST DEPTHS  
 
SOIL MOISTURE WAS MUCH BELOW NORMAL ACROSS MUCH OF WESTERN AND NORTH  
CENTRAL NEBRASKA. ACCORDING TO THE U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR, ABNORMALLY  
DRY TO MODERATE DROUGHT CONDITIONS EXISTED ACROSS SOUTHWESTERN  
NEBRASKA WITH SEVERE TO EXTREME DROUGHT CONDITIONS ACROSS THE  
REMAINDER OF WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA. SOIL TEMPERATURE  
SENSORS INDICATE NO FROST EXISTS.  
   
RIVER AND LAKE ICE CONDITIONS  
 
MONTHLY AVERAGE STREAMFLOW WAS AVERAGE TO ABOVE AVERAGE ACROSS THE  
CENTRAL AND NORTHERN SANDHILLS, INCLUDING THE NIOBRARA, ELKHORN AND  
LOUP RIVER BASINS. AVERAGE TO BELOW AVERAGE STREAMFLOW WAS INDICATED  
ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST PANHANDLE AND SOUTHWEST NEBRASKA, INCLUDING THE  
PLATTE RIVER BASIN, AND FRENCHMAN CREEK BASIN. LAKES AND RIVERS  
WERE ICE FREE.  
   
SEASONAL PRECIPITATION  
 
PRECIPITATION SO FAR THIS WATER YEAR, SINCE OCTOBER 1, 2024, WAS  
MUCH BELOW NORMAL. PRECIPITATION RANGED FROM 1 TO 5 INCHES. THESE  
VALUES ARE FROM 40 PERCENT TO 80 PERCENT OF NORMAL ACROSS NORTH  
CENTRAL AND CENTRAL NEBRASKA, TO 80 TO 110 PERCENT OF NORMAL ACROSS  
PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST NEBRASKA.  
   
WEATHER OUTLOOKS  
 
WATER TEMPERATURES IN THE TROPICAL PACIFIC OCEAN REMAIN SLIGHTLY  
BELOW AVERAGE, WITH WEAK LA NINA CONDITIONS. THE OUTLOOK INDICATES A  
66 PERCENT CHANCE THAT NEUTRAL CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP MARCH THROUGH  
MAY. FOR THE LATE WINTER AND SPRING MONTHS, THIS WEATHER PATTERN  
WILL TYPICALLY FAVOR NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES WITH NEAR TO SLIGHTLY  
BELOW NORMAL PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE CENTRAL PLAINS.  
 
ACCORDING TO THE CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER, THE LATEST 8 TO 14 DAY  
OUTLOOK CALLS FOR ABOVE AVERAGE TEMPERATURES WITH NEAR AVERAGE  
PRECIPITATION.  
 
THE LATEST 30 DAY OUTLOOK FOR MARCH CALLS FOR NEAR AVERAGE  
TEMPERATURES AND PRECIPITATION.  
 
THE LATEST 90 DAY OUTLOOK FOR MARCH, APRIL AND MAY FAVORS NEAR  
AVERAGE TEMPERATURES WITH NEAR TO BELOW AVERAGE PRECIPITATION GOING  
INTO THIS SPRING.  
   
NUMERICAL WEATHER OUTLOOKS  
 
FOR THE FRENCHMAN CREEK, NORTH PLATTE, SOUTH PLATTE, PLATTE,  
ELKHORN, AND NIOBRARA RIVERS...LONG RANGE PROBABILISTIC OUTLOOKS  
ARE ISSUED FOR THE WATER YEAR FROM DECEMBER THROUGH MAY. ALL OTHER  
MONTHS AND LOCATIONS ARE 90 DAY PROBABILISTIC OUTLOOKS.  
 
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: 03/15/2025 - 09/30/2025  
 
: 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  
-------- ----- ----- ----- : --- --- --- --- --- ---  
:NORTH PLATTE RIVER  
LISCO 4.0 5.0 6.0 : <5 15 <5 6 <5 <5  
LEWELLEN 8.0 9.0 10.0 : 8 18 <5 6 <5 <5  
NORTH PLATTE 6.0 6.5 7.0 : 39 70 11 23 7 18  
:SOUTH PLATTE RIVER  
ROSCOE 9.0 11.0 13.0 : 12 12 9 9 7 7  
NORTH PLATTE 13.0 14.0 15.0 : 8 9 7 8 5 <5  
:ELKHORN RIVER  
EWING 1N 9.0 10.0 12.0 : <5 5 <5 <5 <5 <5  
:PLATTE RIVER  
BRADY NORTH CHANN 7.5 9.0 11.0 : 23 33 12 18 6 11  
:FRENCHMAN CREEK  
PALISADE 7.0 8.0 9.0 : 11 13 <5 <5 <5 <5  
:STINKING WATER CREEK  
PALISADE 2NW 10.0 11.0 12.0 : <5 <5 <5 <5 <5 <5  
:NIOBRARA RIVER  
SPARKS 6.0 12.0 16.0 : <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: 03/15/2025 - 09/30/2025  
LOCATION 95% 90% 75% 50% 25% 10% 5%  
-------- ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------  
:NORTH PLATTE RIVER  
LISCO 1.7 1.8 1.9 2.1 2.5 3.1 3.4  
LEWELLEN 6.1 6.3 6.4 6.8 7.2 7.8 8.2  
NORTH PLATTE 5.7 5.7 5.8 5.9 6.1 6.8 7.5  
:SOUTH PLATTE RIVER  
ROSCOE 3.4 3.7 4.5 6.4 7.9 9.9 13.8  
NORTH PLATTE 6.9 7.0 7.1 9.1 10.5 12.0 14.9  
:ELKHORN RIVER  
EWING 1N 1.5 1.8 2.7 3.8 5.1 5.7 6.5  
:PLATTE RIVER  
BRADY NORTH CHANN 2.5 2.5 2.8 5.8 7.4 10.5 11.2  
:FRENCHMAN CREEK  
PALISADE 3.3 3.3 3.5 4.5 5.2 7.1 7.8  
:STINKING WATER CREEK  
PALISADE 2NW 2.8 2.9 3.0 3.7 4.4 5.9 6.6  
:NIOBRARA RIVER  
SPARKS 3.0 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.4 3.7 3.8  
 
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: 03/15/2025 - 09/30/2025  
LOCATION 95% 90% 75% 50% 25% 10% 5%  
-------- ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------  
:NORTH PLATTE RIVER  
LISCO 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.0 1.0 1.0  
LEWELLEN 5.4 5.3 5.2 5.1 4.9 4.9 4.8  
NORTH PLATTE 4.6 4.6 4.6 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.5  
:SOUTH PLATTE RIVER  
ROSCOE 3.0 2.7 2.5 2.3 2.2 2.2 2.2  
NORTH PLATTE 6.6 6.6 6.6 6.6 6.6 6.6 6.6  
:ELKHORN RIVER  
EWING 1N 1.5 1.4 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.3  
:PLATTE RIVER  
BRADY NORTH CHANN 2.2 2.2 2.2 2.2 2.2 2.2 2.2  
:FRENCHMAN CREEK  
PALISADE 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.1 3.0 3.0 3.0  
:STINKING WATER CREEK  
PALISADE 2NW 2.7 2.7 2.6 2.4 2.2 0.0 0.0  
:NIOBRARA RIVER  
SPARKS 3.0 3.0 3.0 2.9 2.9 2.9 2.8  
 
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/LBF FOR MORE WEATHER AND WATER  
INFORMATION.  
 
THIS IS THE THIRD AND FINAL SPRING FLOOD AND WATER RESOURCE OUTLOOK FOR 2025.  
 
 
 
ROBERG  
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