Alert archive / Alaska / Flood Watches in 2012

Flood Watch 7, NWS Fairbanks, AK

September 1, 2012

NWS Fairbanks, AK issued this flood watch at Sep 1, 2012, 2:17 PM AKDT. It was in force for 23 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Sep 1, 2012, 2:17 PM AKDT (22:17 UTC)
Expired
Sep 2, 2012, 1:35 PM AKDT
In force
23 hr
Issued by
NWS Fairbanks, AK
Flood severity
None

The text

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

491 
WGAK69 PAFG 012217
FFAAFG

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
217 PM AKDT SAT SEP 1 2012

...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR THE KOYUKUK RIVER AT ALLAKAKET AND
HUGHES THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON...

AKZ219-020600-
/O.NEW.PAFG.FA.A.0007.120901T2217Z-120904T0200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
UPPER KOYUKUK VALLEY-
INCLUDING...ALLAKAKET...HUGHES...BETTLES...CARIBOU MOUNTAIN...
GOBBLERS KNOB
217 PM AKDT SAT SEP 1 2012

...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FAIRBANKS HAS ISSUED A

* FLOOD WATCH FOR A PORTION OF NORTHERN ALASKA.

* THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON

* RAINFALL OF 2 TO 3 INCHES OVER THE PAST 72 HOURS OVER THE
  KOYUKUK BASIN HAS CAUSED THE KOYUKUK RIVER AT BETTLES TO RISE 5
  FEET IN THE PAST 2 DAYS. RESIDENTS OF ALLAKAKET REPORT HIGH
  WATER OVER SLOUGHS AND BANK FULL CONDITIONS.

* CURRENTLY WATER LEVELS AND VERY HIGH AT ALLAKAKET AND NEAR
  BANK FULL. ADDITIONAL WATER LEVEL INCREASES ARE LIKELY AT
  ALLAKAKET DURING NEXT 24 HOURS BEFORE CRESTING SUNDAY. WATER
  LEVEL WILL APPROACH MINOR FLOOD STAGE.

* WATER LEVELS ARE EXPECTED TO RISE SIGNIFICANTLY DURING THE NEXT
  36 HOURS AT HUGHES BEFORE CRESTING MONDAY. WATER LEVELS AT
  HUGHES COULD APPROACH FLOOD STAGE.

* IMPACTS...HIGH WATER AND POTENTIAL FOR SOME MINOR OVERBANK
  FLOODING ON THE KOYUKUK RIVER AT ALLAKAKET AND HUGHES DURING THE
  NEXT 48 HOURS.

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.

&&

$$
2 follow-up statements
129 
WGAK69 PAFG 020336
FFAAFG

FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
736 PM AKDT SAT SEP 1 2012

...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR THE KOYUKUK RIVER AT ALLAKAKET AND
HUGHES THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON...

AKZ219-030000-
/O.CON.PAFG.FA.A.0007.000000T0000Z-120904T0200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
UPPER KOYUKUK VALLEY-
INCLUDING...ALLAKAKET...HUGHES...BETTLES...CARIBOU MOUNTAIN...
GOBBLERS KNOB
736 PM AKDT SAT SEP 1 2012

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

THE FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR

* THE KOYUKUK RIVER AT ALLAKAKET AND HUGHES

* THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON

* RAINFALL OF 2 TO 3 INCHES OVER THE PAST 72 HOURS OVER THE 
  KOYUKUK BASIN HAS CAUSED THE KOYUKUK RIVER AT BETTLES TO RISE 
  5 FEET IN THE PAST 2 DAYS. RESIDENTS OF ALLAKAKET REPORT HIGH 
  WATER OVER SLOUGHS AND BANK FULL CONDITIONS. 

* CURRENTLY WATER LEVELS AND VERY HIGH AT ALLAKAKET AND NEAR 
  BANK FULL. ADDITIONAL WATER LEVEL INCREASES ARE LIKELY AT 
  ALLAKAKET DURING NEXT 24 HOURS BEFORE CRESTING SUNDAY. WATER 
  LEVEL WILL APPROACH MINOR FLOOD STAGE. 

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.

&&

$$
624 
WGAK69 PAFG 022135
FFAAFG

FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
135 PM AKDT SUN SEP 2 2012

...THE FLOOD WATCH FOR THE KOYUKUK RIVER AT ALLAKAKET AND HUGHES HAS
BEEN CANCELLED. ...

AKZ219-022245-
/O.CAN.PAFG.FA.A.0007.000000T0000Z-120904T0200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
UPPER KOYUKUK VALLEY-
INCLUDING...ALLAKAKET...HUGHES...BETTLES...CARIBOU MOUNTAIN...
GOBBLERS KNOB
135 PM AKDT SUN SEP 2 2012

...FLOOD WATCH IS CANCELLED...

THE FLOOD WATCH FOR THE KOYUKUK RIVER AT ALLAKAKET AND HUGHES HAS
BEEN CANCELLED. 

THE KOYUKUK RIVER IS CURRENTLY CRESTING AT ALLAKAKET. ALTHOUGH
WATER LEVELS ARE HIGH...THERE IS CURRENTLY NO FLOODING IS OCCURRING
OR EXPECTED TO OCCUR WITH THIS EVENT. WATER LEVELS WILL BEGIN TO
FALL LATER THIS EVENING OR OVERNIGHT.

ADDITIONALLY...HUGHES REPORTS THAT WATER LEVELS ARE ALSO HIGH BUT
NO FLOODING IS OCCURRING.

$$

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 Sep 1, 2:22 AM AKDT, 11 hours 55 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 1, 2:22 AM AKDT, 11 hours 55 minutes before
NORTHERN ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
222 AM AKDT SAT SEP 1 2012

.DISCUSSION..
UPPER AIR....
AN ACTIVE PROGRESSIVE UPPER AIR PATTERN WILL CONTINUE OVER
NORTHERN ALASKA DURING THE NEXT WEEK AS A SUCCESSION OF TROUGHS
AND RIDGES MOVE ACROSS THE AREA. IN THE SHORT TERM...SOUTHERLY
FLOW ALOFT OVER THE EASTERN INTERIOR ON THE BACK SIDE OF A RIDGE
OVER NORTHWEST CANADA WILL TEMPORARILY COLLAPSE TONIGHT AND
SATURDAY MORNING AS A SHORT WAVE TROUGH MOVES NORTHEAST. RIDGING
WILL THEN REBUILD OVER NORTHWEST CANADA WITH SOUTHWEST FLOW OVER
MOST OF THE NORTHERN ALASKA MAINLAND THE NEXT SHORT WAVE WILL
SWEEP NORTHWARD ACROSS THE NORTHERN ALASKA MAINLAND MONDAY INTO
TUESDAY...TO BE FOLLOWED BY DEVELOPMENT OF VERY STRONG SOUTHERLY
FLOW TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. AN UPPER LOW NEAR THE SEWARD
PENINSULA WILL CONTINUE TO WOBBLE AROUND WITH LITTLE NET MOVEMENT
THROUGH TUESDAY.

SURFACE...
A 998 MB LOW OVER THE SEWARD PENINSULA WILL DISSIPATE BY 4 AM
SUNDAY. A 992 MB LOW WHICH SPUN OFF FROM THE EXTRATROPICAL REMNANTS
OF TYPHOON BOLAVEN...JUST NORTH OF SHEMYA ISLAND AT 10 PM FRIDAY...
WILL DEEPEN AS IT TRACKS EASTWARD NORTH OF THE ALEUTIAN CHAIN.
GFS AND ECMWF AGREE CLOSE ON THE FORECAST POSITION FOR 4 PM
SUNDAY...EAST OF THE PRIBILOFS WITH CENTRAL PRESSURE AROUND
982 MB. NAM IS FASTER...TAKING THE CENTER TO NEAR KUSKOKWIM BAY.
THIS SYSTEM WILL LIKELY BRING ANOTHER EPISODE OF HEAVY RAIN
SPREADING NORTHWARD ACROSS THE WEST COAST AND WESTERN INTERIOR
SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY...ALONG WITH MAXIMUM SMALL CRAFT TO GALE
FORCE WINDS OVER THE NORTHERN BERING SEA AND THE NORTHWEST AND
ARCTIC COASTAL MARINE AREAS. SOME RAIN OR SHOWERS OVER MUCH
OF THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN INTERIOR TODAY AND TONIGHT WITH
THE FIRST SHORT WAVE.

GUSTY SOUTH WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP IN ALASKA RANGE PASSES
SUNDAY AND CONTINUE INTO MONDAY BEFORE DIMINISHING MONDAY NIGHT.
MAXIMUM GUSTS COULD BE AROUND 50 MPH. WINDS WILL INCREASE GAIN
TUESDAY NIGHT AND WILL LIKELY BE VERY STRONG WEDNESDAY INTO
WEDNESDAY NIGHT. FORECAST 700 MB WINDS MAX OUT AT AROUND 60 KT
ACROSS THE ALASKA RANGE...SURFACE GUSTS TO 60-70 MPH POSSIBLE. RF

MEDIUM RANGE DISCUSSION...A FAIRLY ACTIVE AND PROGRESSIVE PATTERN
EXPECTED DURING THE MEDIUM RANGE. THE OPERATIONAL MODELS ARE IN
VERY GOOD AGREEMENT GIVEN THE PROGRESSIVE NATURE TO THE PATTERN.
THE MODELS ARE VERY CONSISTENT THAT A DEEP LOW DEVELOPS IN THE
WESTERN BERING/SOUTHERN ALEUTIANS SEA MONDAY AND MOVES TO THE
SOUTHEAST BERING SEA/SOUTHWEST MAINLAND BY WEDNESDAY. A DEEP SFC
LOW AROUND 970 MB IS EXPECTED TO MOVE IN STEP WITH THE LOW ALOFT
AND BEGIN TO WEAKEN TO AROUND 990 MB AS IT MOVES INTO THE
KUSKOKWIM DELTA WED NIGHT AND WEAKENS FURTHER THURSDAY AS IT MOVES
FURTHER INLAND. MORE WET WEATHER EXPECTED ALONG THE WEST COAST AND
IN MANY AREAS WEST OF ABOUT 150W. THERE IS ALSO THE POTENTIAL FOR
A DECENT CHINOOK IN THE ALASKA RANGE WEDNESDAY. THE CFS INDICATES
ABOVE NORMAL PRECIPITATION THROUGH WEEK TWO...WITH BELOW NORMAL
TEMPERATURES FOR WEEK ONE AND NEAR NORMAL TEMPS FOR WEEK TWO. THE
NCEP RMOPS GENERALLY HAVE LOW RELATIVE MEASURES OF PREDICTABILITY
OWING TO FAST MOVING AND DIFFICULT TO TIME SHORTWAVES. CB

COASTAL HAZARD POTENTIAL DAYS 3 AND 4...MAXIMUM SMALL CRAFT TO
GALE FORCE WINDS...MAINLY NORTH TO NORTHEAST OVER THE NORTHERN
BERING SEA AND THE NORTHWEST COAST MARINE AREAS...AND NORTHEAST
TO EAST OVER THE CENTRAL AND AND EASTERN ARCTIC MARINE AREAS.
HIGHEST SEAS TO AROUND 13 FEET OVER THE OUTER WATERS OF PKZ220
AND PKZ225. LITTLE OR NO STORM SURGE AND NO COASTAL FLOODING
EXPECTED HOWEVER.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...
GUSTY SOUTH WINDS DEVELOPING IN AND NEAR ALASKA RANGE
PASSES SUNDAY CONTINUING INTO MONDAY NIGHT. MIN RH NOT
LIKELY FALLING BELOW 40 PERCENT IN THESE AREAS HOWEVER.
A STRONGER CHINOOK EXPECTED TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY
NIGHT. NO RED FLAGS. ROUTINE FIRE WEATHER PLANNING FORECASTS
ENDED FOR THE SEASON YESTERDAY.

&&

.HYDROLOGY...
STREAMS AND RIVERS OVER THE WESTERN AND NORTHWESTERN INTERIOR
ARE LIKELY STILL RUNNING HIGH AS A RESULT OF THE SIGNIFICANT
RAINFALL AMOUNTS WHICH HAVE OCCURRED DURING THE LAST 3 DAYS...
BUT STAGES SHOULD BE NOW FALLING SLOWLY. RAINFALL AMOUNTS DURING
THE LAST 12 HOURS HOWEVER HAVE DECREASED CONSIDERABLY AS THE
SURFACE LOW CONTINUES TO WEAKEN...WITH GAGES SHOWING NOT MUCH MORE
THAN A QUARTER INCH AT MOST.

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY PKZ220-PKZ225-PKZ230.

&&

RF/CB AUG 12

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 1, 1:47 PM AKDTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFG14 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.