Montana braces for round of record flooding

May 11, 2011- BILLINGS, MT – It may not be biblical, but with mountain snowpack at upwards of 200 percent of normal, this year’s spring runoff is expected to be epic, or at the very least, record-breaking, the National Weather Service said Monday. The mercury is expected to rise into the mid-60s later this week, and coupled with recent rains and heavy mountain snowpack, a “perfect storm” could be brewing. The waters of the West Gallatin River are expected to rise to flood stage and beyond by Saturday, and weather watchers expect moderate flooding at Gallatin Gateway and other areas. A National Weather Service spokeswoman said Monday the flooding we will see this season could set new records, and emergency managers have wasted no time in urging residents to get ready. Mountain snowpack in the Gallatin, Madison and Jefferson river basins are “above to well-above normal,” and in some areas the snow-water content is higher than we have seen in more than 40 years, said Gina Loss, a senior service hydrologist for the Great Falls Weather Forecast Office. Loss spoke during a Monday afternoon Webcast, and called on the media to alert the public about the threat. “Pretty much the entire state has more water than they know what to do with,” she said. In a warning issued Monday, Gallatin County emergency manager Patrick Lonergan said property owners should be preparing for imminent high water. –Belgrade News