Much of Anchorage is under a flood advisory Thursday after a record-breaking rain drenched the city. Heavy rain was forecast to continue throughout the day.
The flood advisory for local waterways and low-lying areas is in effect until 4 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. Chester Creek near Arctic Boulevard was nearly a foot above its flood stage late Wednesday, with flooding expected along the creek’s bike path below the C Street bridge. Campbell Creek near Dimond Boulevard was also nearing its flood stage.
According to Homer public radio station KBBI, Seward and its surrounding areas are under a flood warning until Friday.
Anchorage police spokeswoman Amanda Brimanis said water had closed Spenard Road at 19th Avenue as of 9:15 a.m. Thursday, with one westbound lane of East 36th Avenue at MacInnes Street also blocked. No vehicle accidents related to standing water or hydroplaning on roads had been reported to police overnight Wednesday.
Michael Kutz, a meteorologist with the weather service, said this week’s rain has been the product of an “atmospheric river” carrying moisture north across Southcentral Alaska, as much of the state is bracketed by a high-pressure area over Canada and a low-pressure system in the eastern Bering Sea.
“This is a far-reaching event,” Kutz said. “That atmospheric river is just hosing us down, pushing it into the Interior.”
The weather service’s Anchorage office had received sporadic reports overnight Wednesday of water ponding on local roads, according to Kutz. Deeper flooding was reported north in the Skwentna and Yentna River areas, with the Lake Creek and McDougall lodges reporting 12 to 18 inches of water near their buildings.
Kutz said Anchorage saw 1.33 inches of rain Wednesday, nearly doubling the city’s previous record of 0.7 inches for Aug. 7 set in 1980.
According to Kutz, Anchorage typically receives about 6.8 inches of annual rain by Aug. 7 – a number 2024 has easily surpassed, with more than half of this year’s total falling since mid-July.
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“The official total for the year to date so far (is) 10.74 inches, so close to four inches above normal,” he said.
The local forecast calls for rain from the atmospheric river to taper off starting Thursday afternoon, with chances of rain continuing Friday and Saturday. Another rainy system is headed for the region and set to arrive Sunday, Kutz said.
Chris Klint is a web producer and breaking news reporter at Alaska Public Media. Reach him atcklint@alaskapublic.org.Read more about Chrishere.
