Flood Warning Issued for Paradise Creek in Latah and Whitman Counties

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Spokane, WA has issued a Flood Warning for Paradise Creek at Moscow. This alert follows observations of minor flooding that is currently occurring and is forecast to continue. The current water levels are approaching the flood of record for this location.

Affected Areas

The warning specifically affects the following regions:

• Latah County, Idaho
• Whitman County, Washington
• Paradise Creek at Moscow

What You Should Do

Residents and travelers in the affected area are advised to take the following precautions:

• Turn around, don’t drown: Never attempt to drive through flooded roads. Most flood-related deaths occur in vehicles.
• Exercise caution: Be extremely careful when walking near riverbanks, as surfaces may be unstable.
• Stay informed: Monitor local weather updates. The next official statement is expected to be issued late tonight around 3:30 AM PDT.

Expected Conditions

Minor flooding is currently occurring with the following specific conditions reported:

• Precipitation: Up to two inches of additional rain is expected through Friday night.
• Runoff: Snow that fell early Friday morning is changing over to rain, which will significantly increase runoff into the creek.
• Water Levels: As of 2:45 PM PDT Friday, the creek stage was 9.7 feet. Flood stage is 9.2 feet, and bankfull stage is 8.0 feet.
• Impacts: At 9.2 feet, water overflows the creek at the intersection of Bridge Street and Hillcrest Drive. Flooding is also expected near Damen Street.
• Historical Context: The current crest of 9.7 feet matches a previous record crest set on December 30, 2017.

Timeline

The Flood Warning is effective immediately and will remain in place until Saturday, March 14, at 10:18 PM PDT. The creek is expected to remain near flood stage through early Saturday afternoon before falling below flood stage by early Saturday night.