KTAR Phoenix 25+ years. Retired. RTs not endorsements. Arizona Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame. Wildfire reporter and historian. Cowboy
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Remarkable
🚨 LAKE POWELL IS UP ANOTHER FOOT! THIS IS GETTING INCREDIBLE!
Lake Powell continues to make one of the most remarkable late-season recoveries we’ve seen in years. And the numbers keep getting more impressive.
Here’s where things stand:
💧 Up 1 FOOT in just 24 hours!
💧 Up 21.5 FEET since its low in mid-September!
💧 Up 13 FEET in the past two weeks!
💧 Inflow: 40,740 cubic feet per second
💧 Outflow: 6,608 cubic feet per second
That last comparison is especially important. Right now, water is entering Lake Powell at more than SIX TIMES the rate it’s leaving.
That’s a net inflow of roughly 34,100 cubic feet per second, or approximately 2.2 BILLION gallons of water per day, based on those reported flow rates.
And here’s what makes this so extraordinary.
THIS IS HAPPENING IN NOVEMBER!
Lake Powell typically experiences its biggest increases during spring and early summer as mountain snowpack melts across the Colorado River Basin. By fall, water levels are usually declining.
But this year, historic October rainfall and flooding across southeastern Utah and the San Juan River watershed have completely changed that pattern.
Massive amounts of runoff have been moving downstream into Lake Powell, producing an unusually sharp rise at a time of year when we’d normally expect the opposite.
And while Flaming Gorge Reservoir has been releasing water downstream for months, those releases account for only about 7% of the recent rise, based on earlier estimates. The overwhelming majority is tied to the extraordinary rainfall and runoff.
Now, some important perspective.
Lake Powell is currently at 3,538.11 feet in elevation and just 27.15% full.
It’s still nearly 162 feet below full pool and remains about 7 feet lower than this time last year.
So no, this doesn’t mean the Colorado River’s long-term water challenges are over. Not even close.
But a 21.5-foot recovery since September is significant, especially considering the timing.
What’s happening right now is a powerful reminder of how quickly extreme precipitation can change the water balance of a major reservoir. And with river flows still running around 190% of average, this remarkable November rise may not be finished.
I’ve been tracking Lake Powell closely, and this is one of the most fascinating late-season water-level surges I’ve followed.
Jim Cross retweeted
(1/3) LAKE POWELL RISING: As of 7:00AM this morning Lake Powell is up 20 FEET since September 15th! To see a 20 foot rise on Lake Powell this time of year is very rare. An average spring snowmelt on an “average snowpack” year is typically 20-30 FT. Let that sink in for a second..
Jim Cross retweeted
🚨 LAKE POWELL IS NOW HIGHER THAN IT WAS IN 2022!
What we’re witnessing at Lake Powell is becoming increasingly unusual. The reservoir has climbed an incredible 19 FEET since its mid-September low, and the water continues to pour in following weeks of exceptional rainfall across the Four Corners and San Juan River watershed.
Take a look at the graph. It really puts this into perspective. Lake Powell has now moved above its 2022 levels, despite typically seeing reservoir levels decline during the fall. These kinds of gains this time of year are anything but ordinary.
A few important numbers:
📈 19 feet: Rise since the mid-September low.
📊 164 feet: Still below full pool. We have a long way to go.
🌊 7%: The estimated contribution from Flaming Gorge releases to the recent rise.
That last number is important. Flaming Gorge has been releasing additional water into the Colorado River system for months, but it accounts for only about 7% of this recent increase. The overwhelming majority of the rise is being driven by natural runoff from the extraordinary precipitation across the Four Corners, particularly the San Juan River basin.
And remember, this isn’t just rain falling directly into Lake Powell. Enormous amounts of water are moving through tributaries, rivers and drainage basins. That runoff takes time to make its way downstream and into the reservoir, meaning Powell can continue rising even after the heaviest precipitation has ended.
Jim Cross retweeted
Democrats will win at least 250 seats in the House of Representatives, CNN projects. It's the party's largest majority in nearly two decades, with more pickups still possible in deep-red territory. Follow live updates. cnn.it/4z6xbFE
Jim Cross retweeted
NM's drought has improved to the lowest levels in nearly 2 years!
The drought severity is now at its lowest since Dec. 31, 2024, and 38% of NM is drought-free, the most since Jan. 14, 2025.
Unfortunately, most of this came at the expense of severe & historic flooding.
#NMwx
Jim Cross retweeted
LAKE POWELL IS SURGING! 17 INCHES IN JUST 24 HOURS. 🤯
Another incredible update from Lake Powell. The reservoir has climbed 19 FEET since hitting its lowest level in mid-September. And the water just keeps coming.
Here’s what’s happening:
🌊 Massive inflows: Recent rainfall across the Four Corners has generated tremendous runoff into the Colorado River system. The San Juan River has been a major contributor, accounting for an unusually large share of the water flowing into Lake Powell.
🌧️ Flooding is driving the rise: Some areas of southeastern Utah and the Four Corners have experienced catastrophic flooding. That floodwater doesn’t disappear once the rain stops. It continues moving downstream through the San Juan River drainage and eventually makes its way into Lake Powell. We’re still seeing that runoff work its way through the system.
💧 How much water are we talking about? A 19-foot rise represents approximately 1.1 million acre-feet of additional water, or roughly 360 billion gallons. That’s an extraordinary amount of water entering the reservoir in a relatively short period.
And we’re not finished.
Based on the continued runoff and water still working its way downstream, Lake Powell could climb another several feet. We could be looking at a total rise of 23-25 FEET from its September low by the time this event winds down next week.
Think about that for a moment. We’re seeing a massive reservoir gain tens of feet in the middle of FALL, not during the traditional spring snowmelt season. This is an exceptionally unusual and potentially historic fall runoff event for the Colorado River system.
One important perspective: This is tremendous news for Lake Powell, but it doesn’t erase the long-term water challenges facing the Colorado River Basin. The lake is still well below full pool.
Still, what we’re witnessing right now is remarkable. And I’ll continue tracking the numbers as more of this water makes its way into the reservoir. Mother Nature is delivering an incredible amount of water to Lake Powell.
Jim Cross retweeted
The US is drying out a bit after weeks of above-normal precip in many regions. That said, much of the western and southern US lean wet. The North Central to the Northeast, and down the Miss River, lean dry.
Temps: Warmer than normal likely for almost all of the US. @NOAA @NWS
ALT A NOAA 6-10 Day Precipitation Outlook map valid for November 10–14, 2026, illustrates precipitation probability trends across the United States. Above-normal precipitation is favored along the western and southern contiguous United States and much of Alaska. In contrast, below-normal precipitation dominates the Northern Plains, Midwest, Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and parts of Hawaii.
ALT A NOAA 6-10 Day Temperature Outlook map valid for November 10–14, 2026, projecting a high probability of above-normal temperatures across nearly the entire contiguous United States. The warmest probabilities dominate the central and northern states, while near-normal temperatures are limited to northern New England, coastal Florida, and western Alaska.
Jim Cross retweeted
#DroughtMonitor 11/3: Widespread improvements across the Four Corners, NV, TX, N. Plains, MN, a few more. FL is almost drought free after record rain.
Extreme/Exceptional Drought (D3/D4) expanded in MS.
#Drought2026’s Footprint: 36.8% of the USA drought.gov @NOAA
ALT A U.S. Drought Monitor map displays dryness levels and drought impacts across the nation for November 3, 2026. Severe to exceptional drought dominates large portions of the lower Mississippi Valley, the interior West, and the Upper Midwest, with widespread dry conditions reaching into the southern Plains and Southeast. In contrast, extensive areas of the Plains, central Midwest, and the Mid-Atlantic remain largely free of significant drought.
Jim Cross retweeted
Arizona’s drought just got CUT by nearly two thirds in one week. 🤯🌧️
34% ➡️ 12%
Flagstaff, Payson, Globe, Show Low and Tucson are now drought free. The holdout is southwest AZ near Yuma, Gila Bend and Ajo.
Big win for our reservoirs. Winter storms decide if it lasts💧 #azwx
Jim Cross retweeted
(1/2)LAKE POWELL UP 19 FEET SINCE SEP 15: This morning's update shows that Lake Powell just went up another 1.39 FT in the last 24 hours. Daily inflow right now is at 53, 324 cubic feet per second (cfs) - that's 246% of normal when compared to the 30-year normal for this time
Jim Cross retweeted
Democrats have won control of the U.S. House in addition to the U.S. Senate, delivering a shockingly decisive rebuke of Republican governance in Washington and ushering in a new era of congressional resistance to President Donald Trump.
Follow live results: apnews.com/projects/election…
ALT Democrats win the US House, capturing control of Congress. The party took control of both chambers as voters delivered a shockingly decisive rebuke of Republican governance.
Jim Cross retweeted
BREAKING: Democrats will win enough seats to take control of the Senate, ABC News projects. abcnews.visitlink.me/DoEIBP
Jim Cross retweeted
Democrats will retake control of both the House and Senate, CNN projects, winning significant power to check the White House for the final two years of Donald Trump's presidency. Follow live updates. cnn.it/4izI1xA
Jim Cross retweeted
HERE WE GO AGAIN! LAKE POWELL IS ON THE RISE! 🌊
Another day, another big jump in Lake Powell’s water level. The reservoir has climbed more than a foot in the past 24 hours as runoff from the incredible rainfall across the Four Corners region continues making its way into the Colorado River system.
Here are the numbers that are getting everyone’s attention:
* UP 17 FEET from its low point in mid-September.
* UP 15 FEET in just the past month.
* MORE THAN 1 FOOT gained in the last 24 hours.
But here’s what really puts this into perspective: That 15-foot rise represents roughly 1 million acre-feet of water, or approximately 326 BILLION GALLONS! That’s an incredible amount of water flowing into Lake Powell in just one month.
And this isn’t over. Runoff from the recent storms will continue working its way downstream for days, meaning we could see additional rises. After struggling with low water levels for much of the year, this is a significant boost to Lake Powell and the Colorado River system.
