Alert archive / Alaska / Flood Watches in 2012

Flood Watch 1, NWS Fairbanks, AK

May 2, 2012

NWS Fairbanks, AK issued this flood watch at May 2, 2012, 4:32 PM AKDT. It was in force for 44 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 2, 2012, 4:32 PM AKDT (00:32 UTC)
Expired
May 4, 2012, 12:22 PM AKDT
In force
44 hr
Issued by
NWS Fairbanks, AK
Flood severity
None

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

972 
WGAK69 PAFG 030032
FFAAFG

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
432 PM AKDT WED MAY 2 2012


AKZ220-032000-
/O.NEW.PAFG.FA.A.0001.120503T0032Z-120505T0000Z/
/00000.0.IJ.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
YUKON FLATS AND SURROUNDING UPLANDS-
INCLUDING...FORT YUKON...VENETIE...CENTRAL...CIRCLE...
STEVENS VILLAGE...BEAVER...CHALKYITSIK...BIRCH CREEK...
CIRCLE HOT SPRINGS...EAGLE SUMMIT...TWELVEMILE SUMMIT
432 PM AKDT WED MAY 2 2012

...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FAIRBANKS HAS ISSUED A

* FLOOD WATCH FOR A PORTION OF NORTHERN ALASKA.

* THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON

* AS OF 4 PM TODAY THE BREAKUP FRONT WAS LOCATED ABOUT 20 MILES
  UPSTREAM FROM CIRCLE. A 70 MILE RUN OF ICE LOCATED ABOVE THE
  BORDER IN THE YUKON TERRITORY WAS MOVING SWIFTLY DOWNRIVER AND
  IS EXPECTED TO MEET THE BREAKUP FRONT WITHIN THE NEXT DAY OR 2.

* IF THE BREAKUP FRONT MOVES JUST PAST CIRCLE...WATER COULD START
  RISING RAPIDLY WHEN THE ICE FLOW BACKS UP BEHIND THE FRONT. RESIDENTS
  NEAR THE RIVER IN CIRCLE SHOULD TAKE PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE
  AND PROPERTY. WATER LEVELS CAN RISE VERY QUICKLY WHEN AN ICE JAM
  OCCURS DOWNSTREAM OF A COMMUNITY. DO NOT DRIVE INTO FLOODED
  ROADWAYS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING BASED ON
CURRENT FORECASTS.

YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE ALERT FOR POSSIBLE
FLOOD WARNINGS. THOSE LIVING IN AREAS PRONE TO FLOODING SHOULD BE
PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLOODING DEVELOP.

&&

$$

CWA
4 follow-up statements
968 
WGAK69 PAFG 030102
FFAAFG

FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
502 PM AKDT WED MAY 2 2012

AKZ220-032000-
/O.CON.PAFG.FA.A.0001.000000T0000Z-120505T0000Z/
/00000.0.IJ.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
YUKON FLATS AND SURROUNDING UPLANDS-
INCLUDING...FORT YUKON...VENETIE...CENTRAL...CIRCLE...
STEVENS VILLAGE...BEAVER...CHALKYITSIK...BIRCH CREEK...
CIRCLE HOT SPRINGS...EAGLE SUMMIT...TWELVEMILE SUMMIT
502 PM AKDT WED MAY 2 2012

...FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON...

THE FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR

* THE YUKON RIVER AT CIRCLE.

* THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON

* AS OF 4 PM TODAY THE BREAKUP FRONT WAS LOCATED ABOUT 20 MILES 
  UPSTREAM FROM CIRCLE. A 70 MILE RUN OF ICE LOCATED ABOVE THE 
  BORDER IN THE YUKON TERRITORY WAS MOVING SWIFTLY DOWNRIVER AND 
  IS EXPECTED TO MEET THE BREAKUP FRONT WITHIN THE NEXT DAY OR 
  2. 

* IF THE BREAKUP FRONT MOVES JUST PAST CIRCLE...WATER COULD 
  START RISING RAPIDLY WHEN THE ICE FLOW BACKS UP BEHIND THE 
  FRONT. RESIDENTS NEAR THE RIVER IN CIRCLE SHOULD TAKE 
  PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. WATER LEVELS CAN 
  RISE VERY QUICKLY WHEN AN ICE JAM OCCURS DOWNSTREAM OF A 
  COMMUNITY. DO NOT DRIVE INTO FLOODED ROADWAYS. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING BASED ON
CURRENT FORECASTS.

YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE ALERT FOR POSSIBLE
FLOOD WARNINGS. THOSE LIVING IN AREAS PRONE TO FLOODING SHOULD BE
PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLOODING DEVELOP.

&&

$$
553 
WGAK69 PAFG 031052
FFAAFG

FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
252 AM AKDT THU MAY 3 2012

AKZ220-040300-
/O.CON.PAFG.FA.A.0001.000000T0000Z-120505T0000Z/
/00000.0.IJ.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
YUKON FLATS AND SURROUNDING UPLANDS-
INCLUDING...FORT YUKON...VENETIE...CENTRAL...CIRCLE...
STEVENS VILLAGE...BEAVER...CHALKYITSIK...BIRCH CREEK...
CIRCLE HOT SPRINGS...EAGLE SUMMIT...TWELVEMILE SUMMIT
252 AM AKDT THU MAY 3 2012

...FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON...

THE FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR

* THE YUKON RIVER AT CIRCLE

* THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON

* AS OF 4 PM WEDNESDAY THE BREAKUP FRONT WAS LOCATED ABOUT 20
  MILES UPSTREAM FROM CIRCLE. A 70 MILE RUN OF ICE LOCATED ABOVE
  THE BORDER IN THE YUKON TERRITORY WAS MOVING SWIFTLY DOWNRIVER
  AND IS EXPECTED TO MEET THE BREAKUP FRONT WITHIN THE NEXT DAY OR
  TWO.

* IF THE BREAKUP FRONT MOVES JUST PAST CIRCLE...WATER COULD 
  START RISING RAPIDLY WHEN THE ICE FLOW BACKS UP BEHIND THE 
  FRONT. RESIDENTS NEAR THE RIVER IN CIRCLE SHOULD TAKE 
  PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. WATER LEVELS CAN 
  RISE VERY QUICKLY WHEN AN ICE JAM OCCURS DOWNSTREAM OF A 
  COMMUNITY. DO NOT DRIVE INTO FLOODED ROADWAYS. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING BASED ON
CURRENT FORECASTS.

YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE ALERT FOR POSSIBLE
FLOOD WARNINGS. THOSE LIVING IN AREAS PRONE TO FLOODING SHOULD BE
PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLOODING DEVELOP.

&&

$$
639 
WGAK69 PAFG 040135
FFAAFG

FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
535 PM AKDT THU MAY 3 2012

AKZ220-050000-
/O.CON.PAFG.FA.A.0001.000000T0000Z-120505T0000Z/
/00000.0.IJ.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
YUKON FLATS AND SURROUNDING UPLANDS-
INCLUDING...FORT YUKON...VENETIE...CENTRAL...CIRCLE...
STEVENS VILLAGE...BEAVER...CHALKYITSIK...BIRCH CREEK...
CIRCLE HOT SPRINGS...EAGLE SUMMIT...TWELVEMILE SUMMIT
535 PM AKDT THU MAY 3 2012

...FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON...

THE FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR

* THE YUKON RIVER AT CIRCLE

* THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON

* AS OF 2 PM THURSDAY THE BREAKUP FRONT WAS STILL LOCATED ABOUT 20
  MILES UPSTREAM FROM CIRCLE AND THERE IS ABOUT 15 MILES OF PACKED
  CHUCK ICE ABOVE THE FRONT. THE FRONT EDGE OF THE ICE RUN FROM
  ABOVE EAGLE WAS JUST STARTING TO ARRIVE AT THE UPSTREAM EDGE OF
  THE CHUNK ICE.

* IF THE BREAKUP FRONT MOVES JUST PAST CIRCLE...WATER COULD 
  START RISING RAPIDLY WHEN THE ICE FLOW BACKS UP BEHIND THE 
  FRONT. RESIDENTS NEAR THE RIVER IN CIRCLE SHOULD TAKE 
  PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. WATER LEVELS CAN 
  RISE VERY QUICKLY WHEN AN ICE JAM OCCURS DOWNSTREAM OF A 
  COMMUNITY. DO NOT DRIVE INTO FLOODED ROADWAYS. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING BASED ON
CURRENT FORECASTS.

YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE ALERT FOR POSSIBLE
FLOOD WARNINGS. THOSE LIVING IN AREAS PRONE TO FLOODING SHOULD BE
PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLOODING DEVELOP.

&&

$$
908 
WGAK69 PAFG 042022
FFAAFG

FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
1222 PM AKDT FRI MAY 4 2012

AKZ220-042130-
/O.CAN.PAFG.FA.A.0001.000000T0000Z-120505T0000Z/
/00000.0.IJ.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
YUKON FLATS AND SURROUNDING UPLANDS-
INCLUDING...FORT YUKON...VENETIE...CENTRAL...CIRCLE...
STEVENS VILLAGE...BEAVER...CHALKYITSIK...BIRCH CREEK...
CIRCLE HOT SPRINGS...EAGLE SUMMIT...TWELVEMILE SUMMIT
1222 PM AKDT FRI MAY 4 2012

...FLOOD WATCH IS CANCELLED FOR THE YUKON RIVER AT CIRCLE...

THE FLOOD WATCH FOR THE YUKON RIVER AT CIRCLE HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

THE ICE JAM ABOVE CIRCLE BROKE FREE EARLY THIS MORNING AND THE ICE
IS RUNNING THROUGH WITHOUT PROBLEMS. WATER LEVELS ROSE TEMPORARILY
BUT ARE DROPPING AT THIS TIME. 

$$

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flood watch went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Fairbanks, AK wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flood watch went out at May 2, 2:46 PM AKDT, 1 hour 46 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 2, 2:46 PM AKDT, 1 hour 46 minutes before
NORTHERN ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
246 PM AKDT WED MAY 2 2012

CORRECTED CENTRAL AND EASTERN INTERIOR

.DISCUSSION...
ALOFT...UNSEASONABLY DEEP LOW 140 MILES NE OF KOTZEBUE WILL MOVE
TO THE BERING STRAIT 4PM THU AND TO JUST SOUTH OF THE PRIBILOFS
4AM SAT. ASSOCIATED TROUGH FROM LOW TO FAIRBANKS ROTATING NORTH TO
EXTEND FROM BERING STRAIT TO BARTER ISLAND 4PM THU...STATIONARY
THEREAFTER AS UPPER LOW MOVES SOUTH OVER BERING SEA. VORTICITY
MAXIMUM NORTH OF DAWSON CANADA MOVING TO BARTER ISLAND 4AM THU
THEN DISSIPATING. AS DEEP LOW TRACKS OFF TO THE SOUTHWEST LIGHT
SOUTH FLOW WILL OCCUR OVER INTERIOR AND REMAIN WEAK THROUGH SAT.

SURFACE...1032 MB HIGH OVER THE RUSSIAN ARCTIC WILL EXPAND WEST
ACROSS THE BEAUFORT SEA LATER THU THROUGH FRI WHILE DRIFTING SOUTH
OVER FAR EAST RUSSIA. LOW DEVELOPING NEAR INUVIK CANADA BY 10PM
WED AND DRIFTING NORTH AND DEEPENING TO 1004 MB THROUGH 4PM THU.
1006 MB LOW OVER GULF OF ALASKA WILL MOVE NORTH TO THE CENTRAL
ALASKA RANGE 10AM THU AND WEAKEN. STRONG ARCTIC FRONT FROM ERN
BROOKS RANGE TO NEAR NORTHWAY AND THEN SOUTHWESTWARD TO SAINT
MATTHEW ISLAND. THE FRONT WILL WEAKEN AND MOVE TO INUVIK CANADA TO
DAWSON TO FAIRBANKS AND TO SAINT MATTHEW ISLAND 4PM THU AND TO
INUVIK TO BETTLES TO GALENA TO ANVIK 4PM FRI. POOL OF COLD AIR
OVER THE NORTHERN AK WILL FOLLOW THE UPPER LOW SHIFTING SOUTHWEST
OVER THE BERING SEA THROUGH FRI THUS ALLOWING TEMPS TO WARM
ESPECIALLY TO SOUTHEAST OF ARCTIC FRONT.

MODELS...ALOFT MODELS IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH MOVEMENT OF UPPER LOW
THROUGH THE EARLY WEEKEND. IN MEDIUM RANGE BOTH OPERATIONAL GFS
AND ECMWF ARE SIMILAR OVER NRN AK AT SURFACE AND ALOFT THROUGH
DAY 5 THEN BEGIN TO DIVERGE SOME SOUTH OF THE FORECAST AREA.

NORTH SLOPE...SNOW ACROSS MOST OF THE COASTAL ZONES CONTINUING
THROUGH THE NIGHT AND DIMINISHING THU AS THE UPPER TROUGH MOVES
TO THE BROOKS RANGE AND THE UPPER LOW DRIFTS FARTHER AWAY. EXPECT
2 TO 3 INCHES ACCUMULATION INTO THU. WEST WINDS OVER ERN COASTAL
ZONES WILL INCREASE SOME BUT SHOULD REMAIN LESS THAN 25 MPH BEFORE
DIMINISHING LATER THU. TEMPS AT LEAST FOR THE BROOKS RANGE AND
EASTERN ZONES WILL BEGIN TO MODERATE WARM AFTER THU...BUT TAKE
UNTIL SATURDAY BEFORE REACHING THE WESTERN COASTAL ZONES.

WESTERN ALASKA...WRAPAROUND CLOUDS AND THE COMPANION DRY SLOT
ASSOCIATED WITH THE UPPER LOW ARE ALLOWING ZONES 208 209 217 TO
HAVE LITTLE IN CLOUD THIS AFTERNOON WHILE ZONES 213 211 210 AND
216 TO HAVE EXTENSIVE COVER. THIS EVENING THESE CLOUDS WILL SPREAD
OVER ZONES 217 208 AND 209...AS WELL AS DRIFTING SOUTH OVER ZONES
214 AND 215 AS THE LOW SHIFTS SOUTHWEST. EXPECT SCATTERED SNOW
SHOWERS ACROSS THE ZONES AS THE UPPER LOW TREKS SOUTHWEST. AS THE
UPPER LOW TRANSITS SOUTH FROM THE BERING STRAIT NORTH WINDS WILL
INCREASE TO AT LEAST BRISK WIND CATEGORY FRI OVER THE OUTER
WATERS. ALSO TEMPERATURES SHOULD SLOWLY WARM FROM EAST TO WEST
AFTER FRIDAY.

CENTRAL AND EASTERN INTERIOR...SCATTERED TO ISOLATED SNOW SHOWERS
OVER ERN 218...ERN 220 AND 224...ENDING FROM THE SOUTH THIS
EVENING THROUGH EARLY THU MORNING. EXPECT AN ADDITIONAL INCH
ACCUMULATION ERN 218. ELSEWHERE PARTLY CLOUDY AND NOT MUCH IN THE
WAY OF PRECIP. THE VERY COLD AIR MASS WILL BEGIN WARMING THU AND
BY LATE WEEKEND SHOULD BE BACK TO NORMAL TEMPS. SPOTTY SHOWERS
EXPECTED ON FRI AS AIRMASS WARMS AND SOME DESTABILIZATION OF THE
ATMOSPHERE INCREASES AS ARCTIC BOUNDARY RETREATS TO THE NORTHWEST.
LIGHT SOUTHERLY FLOW ALOFT ON LATE FRI/SAT WILL DEVELOP SOME SOUTH
WINDS IN THE AK RANGE BUT EXPECTED TO STAY BELOW ADVISORY LEVELS.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...NO ISSUES TODAY AND THU. MAX TEMPS WILL WARM INTO
THE 50S BY THE WEEKEND AND S WINDS 15 TO 25 MPH EXPECTED IN THE AK
RANGE. MIN RHS DROPPING INTO THE MID 20S PERCENT THEN OVER SRN
INTERIOR.

&&

.HYDROLOGY...NONE CURRENTLY.

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE.

&&

JL MAY 12

The office that day

Everything else NWS Fairbanks, AK issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 3, 1:49 AM AKDTBrisk Wind AdvisoryAFG13 hr
May 3, 3:07 PM AKDTBrisk Wind AdvisoryAFG58 hr

Nearby

Flood Watches in Alaska, 2012Every flood watch in 2012

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text.