The Daily Inter Lake

The deluge of rain that has caused severe flooding in western Washington has moved inland to cause flood problems in Northwest Montana.

The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for small streams in Northwest Montana, where there were reports of flooding ranging from Libby to Glacier National Park.

The weather service said Tuesday afternoon that 2.85 inches of rain had been measured at West Glacier and 1.41 inches had been measured at Libby since early Monday morning.

Persistent rain caused Glacier's Avalanche Creek to flow two to three feet above its banks, prompting the closure of Going-to-the-Sun Road beyond Lake McDonald Lodge. A horse bridge over Upper McDonald Creek was underwater and more than two feet of water was over Sun Road at another drainage about a mile beyond Avalanche Creek.

The Flathead National Forest reported water crossing over the West Side Reservoir Road at Ben Creek, about 29 miles south of U.S. 2 along the west shore of Hungry Horse Reservoir. The road was closed at that location, and travelers were detoured to the road that skirts the reservoir's eastern shoreline.

The weather service issued a flood watch for the North Fork Flathead River. The river was rising rapidly due to 4 to 8 inches of rain in the mountains.

At Polebridge, the river rose within 3 feet of flood stage. At the Canadian border, the river was within 2 feet of flood stage.

The weather service warned that the river was expected to continue rising and could reach flood stage at both locations sometime today.

There was widespread small stream flooding in the Libby area, including bridges being washed out and the Fisher River east of town within one foot of flood stage.

"Excessive rain will continue across Northwest Montana through tonight producing additional urban and small stream flooding," the weather service warned. "Rainfall and runoff could also trigger rock slides and debris flows along and near steep terrain and onto area highways."