With a forecast of dangerous winds, more rain and possibly snow, a number of local events in south Lincoln County have been cancelled Wednesday.

The National Weather Service is predicting a 100% chance of rain Tuesday night with possible amounts between one-half and three-quarters of an inch.

A flash flood watch remains in effect until 2 p.m. Wednesday. A high wind warning is in effect from 2 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday.

The forecast calls for rain and snow before 11 a.m. then a chance of snow with levels dropping from 4,300 feet to 2,200 feet Wednesday afternoon. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

Troy and Libby public school officials have cancelled school Wednesday. Troy also cancelled its elementary school Christmas concert. Officials hope to reschedule it after the extent of the storm is known.

Libby is hosting Troy for varsity girls and boys basketball games, but the junior varsity games were cancelled.

The boys varsity game begins at 4:15 p.m. and the girls varsity at 5:45 p.m.

Windy conditions Tuesday night caused trees to fall on power lines causing outages in dozens of residences south of Libby and in the Kootenai River Road areas but power there has been restored.

According to the Flathead Electric power outage map, there are still 160 homes without power from Coyote Creek to the Pleasant Valley and McGinnis Meadows areas. Power has been restored to nearly 380 customers. Others are scattered across the Flathead and nearly four dozen between Columbia Falls and Coram.

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte today requested President Donald J. Trump issue a presidential major disaster declaration due to flooding in northwestern Montana. 

The governor’s request is for Lincoln and Sanders counties, and the Blackfeet Nation. 

“Beginning Dec. 8, 2025, a prolonged atmospheric river event impacted northwest Montana, bringing sustained rainfall and warm temperatures that led to widespread flooding across Lincoln County and Sanders County,” Gov. Gianforte wrote in a letter to Pres. Trump. “These extreme conditions led to infrastructure damage, including the failure of the Lower Flower Creek Dam, threatening water distribution for the City of Libby and prompting immediate emergency response actions.” 

In addition to outlining the conditions which triggered the disaster, the governor’s request highlights the known impacts of the disaster on Montana communities. 

“This severe storm event has not only compromised critical infrastructure but has also placed the health and safety of the affected population at serious risk. Immediate federal assistance is essential to stabilize the situation, support recovery efforts and prevent further harm to the community,” the governor wrote. 

He added, “Given the severity and complexity of this emergency, I respectfully request FEMA's assistance through an Emergency Declaration. Federal support is essential to ensure the health and safety of the affected population.” 

U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy, as well as Rep. Ryan Zinke (MT-01), also sent a letter to President Trump in support of Gianforte’s emergency declaration request for Lincoln and Sanders counties and the Blackfeet Tribe following a catastrophic severe storm and flooding event.

“On December 10-11, 2025, intense rainfall combined with snowmelt caused major flooding in Lincoln and Sanders County as well as on Blackfeet tribal land in Northwest Montana. Rivers in the area experienced flood stages of between 7.5 feet and 8.3 feet and caused major infrastructure damage, making multiple bridges impassable and causing the failure of the Lower Flower Creek Dam which regulates water distribution to the city of Libby. The failure of the Lower Flower Creek Dam has significantly disrupted water delivery operations in Libby, and emergency action was required to prevent further structural failure of the dam. As a result of that preventative action, water delivered to the city of Libby has a turbidity level above safe consumption standards, and elevated levels of metals in the water threaten to require a “do not consume” order. Northwest Montana’s communities are facing the prospect of repairing damaged infrastructure without access to potable water.

“The State of Montana needs assistance in first addressing the immediate crisis regarding the impacted dam near the city of Libby, as well as financial assistance to offset the costs of infrastructure stabilization and repair. We urge you to promptly approve this request for an emergency declaration and look forward to your timely response,”

Also, Kootenai National Forest officials provided an update on the Ross Creek Cedars area. It had extensive work this summer to improve walking paths, but sustained significant damage in the flooding.

According to the Forest’s Facebook page, there are currently hazardous conditions in the Ross Creek area. The public is highly encouraged to avoid the area.

NFS Road 398 to the Cedars, which is currently closed to motorized vehicles for the season, was considerably damaged, with multiple spots comprised by landslides, washouts, heavy water flow and large debris deposits. There was a large landslide on the hillside near the road, that has almost eroded to the guardrail, creating unstable road conditions.

Currently, it appears the ancient cedars are still standing, with large amounts of smaller trees down throughout the area. Most of the scenic trail, including some bridges, has been displaced, with large amounts of sediment deposited where the trail system used to exist.

Dangerous conditions include:

- Due to the saturated soil and potential for high winds, there is a high danger of falling trees.

- Areas of undercut roads and active slumping and landslides are still occurring.

“We greatly appreciate your cooperation in avoiding the area,” officials said.

For more information, please call the Three Rivers Ranger District in Troy, MT at 406-295-4693.