https://www.visitmt.com/listings/general/lake/flathead-lake.html. 41.6 °F at 9:15 AM on 12/15/2020 The Flathead Lake surface water temperature reading is measured at the end of Yellow Bay Point. The dam, which generates enough electricity to supply at least 100,000 homes annually, came under CSKT ownership in 2015. When raising and lowering the water level, he said there are many competing interests the dam operators have to consider. Summer air temperatures average in the mid-70s to mid-80s. “We try to do what is right and prudent,” Togo said. Flathead Lake weather report, historic temperatures and climate info,… Searchable lists of Flathead Lake tourism offices and other helpful government agencies. A major winter storm will continue to impact much of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast U.S. before gradually diminishing Thursday afternoon and evening. “We manage this resource for multiple public purposes. Still, some around the lake would argue anything short of full pool during the entire summer is unacceptable. The outflow is regulated by the Séliš Ksanka Ql’ispé Dam, formerly Kerr Dam, located near Polson in the Lower Flathead River. August is the month with the highest water temperature at 70.3°F / 21.3°C. 406-755-7000. It’s not used only for recreation, it’s used for flood risk management, fisheries, irrigation and a whole host of different things,” he said. Unless you like your water COLD, the effective swimming season is June through September. He said some years the lake may be held closer to 2,982 than 2,983 feet during the peak months, but it always falls within that range. Flathead Lake is … Flathead Lake's current water temperature is 70°F.Today's forecast is: Overcast throughout the day., with a high around 39°F and a low around 31°F.Winds are out of the SSW at 8 mph with gusts of 24 mph. In Montana, the DEQ opted to pursue a site-specific standard for Lake Koocanusa and the Kootenai River, with the BER on Friday approving a standard of 0.8 micrograms per liter on the lake … If you need additional assistance, please contact us toll-free at 888-454-8825 or click here to submit a request for more guidance. Reporter Kianna Gardner can be reached at 758-4407 or kgardner@dailyinterlake.com, copyright © 2020 Swimming is "allowed" in Glacier National Park in the legal sense, but the water temperatures often make that a moot point. The tables give the normals for maximum and minimum yearly temperatures based on weather data collected from 1981 to 2010. Other stakeholders include the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which operates the Hungry Horse Dam. Foys Lake, just a couple of miles west of Kalispell, is normally the warmest. temperate climate with warm and dry summer would be the climate here. Lake Coeur D Alene is a city close to Lake Coeur D Alene. At 28 miles long and 15 miles wide, Flathead Lake is the largest, natural, freshwater lake in the Western United States. Flathead Lake Real Estate Sales. While the waters don't quite match the park moniker in temperature, they are definitely "refreshing". Flathead Lake, Lake, Montana, United States of America - Monthly weather averages including average high and low Temperature, Precipitation, Pressure, Wind Charts to assist you in planning your travel, holiday or an outdoor activity at Flathead Lake, Lake, United States of America Major Winter Storm Impacting the Northeast and Mid Atlantic. After Labor Day Weekend, the public can expect the lake to steadily drop to at least 2,981 feet by the end of October. Water temperatures on the lake soon followed, reaching the 60s. The deal was struck in February and CSKT began supplying the power in March of this year. Average high and low temperatures in degrees Fahrenheit are listed below for Lake Koocanusa. Strongest 24 May, 2017 23mph WSW; Average 2010–Present 6.8mph Explore destinations near Flathead Lake. The mean minimum temperature will be -1°C, dipping to its lowest on the morning of Wednesday 23rd at -3°C. The lake is a remnant of the ancient, massive glacial dammed lake, Lake Missoula of the era of the last interglacial. Energy Keepers, a corporation of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT), is the primary entity tasked with maintaining the lake’s water level. september was another month of fun on kootenay lake . Togo said while certain aspects of the contractual agreement are confidential, he said the dam is “beyond capable” of providing that power while also keeping Flathead Lake within a foot of full pool for the bulk of summer. There is a nice public beach area there. You can jump to a separate table for each region of the state: Northwestern, Southwestern, South - Central and Eastern Montana. The amount of water flowing annually through the lake varies from 80 to 120,000,000 cu. Book your tickets online for Flathead Lake, Polson: See 363 reviews, articles, and 172 photos of Flathead Lake, ranked No.1 on Tripadvisor among 11 attractions in Polson. “It’s the same every year, and I can’t emphasize that enough,” Togo said. The temperatures is measured at the intake pipes about 1500 feet offshore at a approximate depth of 35 feet. Thirteen public access points make it easy for you to get on the water from any direction. As one example, Togo pointed to the summer of 2015, just months before the tribes took over ownership. Whitefish Lake has a great beach, esp. The pristine waters of Flathead Lake make it an ideal spot for in-water activities. “So as far as people recreating and using their boats, they are good to go through this holiday weekend. Flathead Lake (Salish: člq̓etkʷ) is a large natural lake in northwest Montana and is the largest natural freshwater lake by surface area that is west of the source of the Missouri River in the contiguous United States.. As one of the measurements in the Flathead Lake environmental data suite, temperature is reported every 15 minutes. Flathead Lake waters are among the cleanest and clearest in the world. But he said regardless, CSKT strives to fill Flathead Lake because they wish to be good stewards of the resource. Home to hiking trails that provide an excellent view of bald eagles and wild horses, this state park is only accessible by boat. Flathead Lake's current water temperature is 32°. And according to Energy Keepers Chief Commercial Officer Travis Togo, this year will be no exception. The month with the lowest is February with an average water temperature of 32.2°F / 0.1°C. In July, the water temperature peaks at about 21ºC, but by early September, autumn’s chill has already begun to set in. Data from the United States Geological Survey shows Flathead Lake’s water level has been dipping close to the 2,982-foot mark since the beginning of September … Helpful. popular with young children and teenagers. When asked if CSKT would consider putting such an agreement into writing in order to alleviate some stress for property and business owners around the lake, he said there are too many unpredictable weather and environmental factors that could impact such an agreement. As of Friday morning, the U.S. Geological Survey’s website showed Flathead Lake levels are at 2,892.15 feet. NOAA National Weather Service National Weather Service. Schile pointed to earlier this year when the tribes entered into a 15-year contract with Puget Sound Energy Inc. in Washington state. United States ; Montana ... All reviews big fork wild horse island beautiful drive state park clean water west side great area bald eagles family vacation beautiful scenery south end big sky country towns fishing mississippi cherry flathead ... September 2020. Average September temperatures; High °F Low °F Place High °C Low °C; 68: 40: Cut Bank: 20: 4: 64: 37: East Glacier Park: 18: 3: 72: 45: Flathead Lake, Polson: 22: 7: 66: 38: Gibson Reservoir Dam: 19: 3: 70: 38: Kalispell: 21: 4: 76: 40: Libby: 24: 5: 73: 42: Missoula: 23: 5: 69: 31: Polebridge: 20: 0: 69: 40: Rogers Pass: 21: 4: 73: 36: Seeley Lake: 23: 2: 68: 39: West Glacier: 20: 4: 68: 39: Whitefish: 20: 4 Share. At the bay and around the state, it feels more like July than June. Togo said CSKT has managed Flathead Lake levels similarly year after year since the tribe purchased the dam. This was a revisit as the first time was a drive only on the east coming down from Glacier. September of 2020 may ultimately be the monthly high water mark for Flathead Lake sales in this decade. Spend summer vacation at one of the top lakes in the U.S. As one of the largest freshwater lakes on the West Coast and clearest lakes in the U.S., Flathead Lake is an ideal spot for sailing, speed boating, and fishing. As one of the measurements in the Flathead Lake environmental data suite, temperature is reported every 15 minutes. The area of the basin drained through Flathead Lake, chiefly by Flathead River and its three forks, is 18,000 sq. Please also visit Flathead Lake, Lake Historical Weather, Weather widget and Weather Charts pages. “We are quite proud of that deal actually, as we are contributing to that state’s move to cleaner energy.”, According to Associated Press reporting, Washington utilities face a 2025 deadline to stop billing customers for coal power under the state’s Clean Energy Transformation Act, which requires electricity to be free of greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. WEATHER & CLIMATE July, August and June are the most pleasant months in Flathead County, while December and January are the least comfortable months. The area hasn’t experienced a drought that severe since then, but Togo did say if such extreme weather affects the region in the future, it is possible the lake may fill after that June 15 date or possibly drop a little before the holiday weekend. “It’s an adaptive management situation and there are a lot of different variables.”. The lake level is typically held at or near full pool, or 2,983 feet, from June 15 through Labor Day Weekend. Spawning begins when water temperatures fall to 10°C (50°F) and lower. Average water temps in June are in the 60s, 70s in July and August, and then back down again in September. “For the sake of property owners and commerce in the area, Flathead needs to be held at full pool. 41.3 °F at 11:15 PM on 12/19/2020 The Flathead Lake surface water temperature reading is measured at the end of Yellow Bay Point. as the water temperatures started to come down towards the end of the month activity levels increased with us catching more rainbows off the surface . I personally enjoy cooler waters, so have swam in many of the lakes and streams. Dress accordingly during your houseboat vacation. In Flathead County, there are 3 comfortable months with high temperatures in the range of 70-85°. Nothing out of the ordinary is occurring.”. Schile and others question whether profits from dam hydropower play a role in when CSKT decides to drop lake levels. 727 East Idaho Lake trout are fall spawners and normally reproduce every second year from September to November in most parts of their range. At 35 miles in length, weather down in Polson can sometimes be much different than what’s happening in Bigfork. Privacy Policy At that depth, businesses and property owners from Polson to Bigfork Bay are able to utilize the lake for recreation without worry of shallow water. The climate profile is taken from closest available data source to Flathead Lake. Taking a look at Flathead Lake over the coming two weeks and the average daytime maximum temperature will be around 4°C, with a high for the two weeks of 6°C expected on the afternoon of Sunday 20th. The most pleasant months of the year for Flathead County are July, August and June. The tribes are the first in the nation to own and operate a major hydropower facility. Flathead Lake, Polson: Address, Flathead Lake Reviews: 5/5. Unless you like your water COLD, the effective swimming season is June through September. Although known to be capable swimmers, grizzly bears don’t often come across lakes as large as Flathead in their territory. Climate (2010–Present) Kalispell, Glacier Park International Airport (30.4 miles) Take a look at our website widgetsAvailable free! “When fewer people are boating, these businesses on Flathead start hurting.”. Terms of Use | Lake Surface Level, Conditions, and Forecasts Data from the United States Geological Survey shows Flathead Lake’s water level has been dipping close to the 2,982-foot mark since the beginning of September — a depth property owners on the lake are all too familiar with, as it means it’s time to take their boats out of the water. Find Out More. Average water temps in June are in the 60s, 70s in July and August, and then back down again in September. According to one article from the Associated Press, the dam will provide the company with 40 megawatts of power. Swim Guide shares the best information we have at the moment you ask for it. One such person is Wayne Schile, who for decades has pushed for “90 days, full pool.” Schile is a longtime Flathead Lake property owner and argues the lake should be as close as possible to the 2,983-foot mark from June 15 to Sept. 15. Summer air temperatures average in the mid-70s to mid-80s. “That contract in no way, shape or form determines how we maintain the natural resource,” Togo said. we had a lot of sunny calm days on kootenay lake , and. If you're near the west shore, be sure to explore Wildhorse Island. A drought had plagued Northwest Montana, as well as the majority of the Pacific Northwest area, and the lake level that year began dropping to the 2,982-foot mark in early August. Not surprisingly, the highest water temperatures recorded by the Flathead Basin Commission occurred in the hottest summers - fiery ones such as 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003 and 2007. Average annual temperatures for cities, towns, parks and lakes throughout Montana are listed below in degrees Fahrenheit and Celsius. Bathrooms are … september 2020- kootenay lake fishing report. The lakes scattered throughout the Flathead Valley are generally warmer than the lakes in Glacier. Historical or past weather forecast page provides historical weather forecast from 1 st July, 2008 till now in 3 hourly interval. “In the spring when we begin to fill the lake, a lot of that has to do with the snowpack that we saw during the winter time. Visitors on the southern part of the lake need to buy a tribal recreation permit, however, as this half of the water lies on Flathead Reservation boundary. Flathead Events provides information on upcoming events, from sports to music to art, for the Flathead Montana area. The sprawling blue jewel of Flathead Lake with nearly 200 square miles (500 square kilometers) of surface area and more than 160 miles (260 kilometers) of shoreline is the largest natural freshwater lake in the contiguous U.S. west of the Mississippi River. Flathead Lake; Lake & Flathead Counties. Kalispell, MT 59901 At 51,000 hectare, Flathead Lake is the largest freshwater … According to Togo, there is no law or contractual agreement that requires CSKT to hold the lake at a specified depth throughout the summer — something he emphasized predates tribal ownership. km. The deal “will supplant Puget’s delivery of coal-fired electricity from the Colstrip Power Plant in Montana after 2025.”. Temperature, light, and wind are factors which contribute to the onset and duration of spawning activities. No exceptions,” said Schile, who is also the president of Shore, a nonprofit dedicated to watchdogging over the water levels at Flathead. April, 1935 THE LIFE OF FLATHEAD LAKE, MONTANA 97 ous little headlands, and small islands, especially near the southern end of the lake. So sometimes if the snowpack isn’t great, we might miss our June fill date, even though that hasn’t happened yet under our ownership,” Togo said. While higher elevations are typically colder and valleys are typically warmer, it is not unusual to have a wintertime inversion that traps cold air in the valleys while the high a With a record setting 25 closed transactions yielding $37.5M in total sales volume, the month surpassed several annual sales marks posted since the recession low point in 2009. August is the hottest month for Flathead County with an average high temperature of 79.7°, which ranks it as one of the coolest places in Montana. Lake Surface Level, Conditions, and Forecasts Normally the warmest in their territory … Flathead Lake levels are at 2,892.15 feet at or near full pool Associated... 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