Alaska, 1998

Flash Flood and Flood in Alaska, May 26 to 31, 1998

May 26 to 31, 1998 · NWS AFG · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

Rain (26th-27th, and 30th-31st) over the northern Koyukuk Valley and northwest Upper Yukon Valley combined with rapid snowmelt to cause flooding on the Koyukuk River and the Chandalar River. High water on the Chandalar River at Venetie caused flooding of the sewage pond.

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$250,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS AFG wrote it up.

Rain (26th-27th, and 30th-31st) over the northern Koyukuk Valley and northwest Upper Yukon Valley combined with rapid snowmelt to cause flooding on the Koyukuk River and the Chandalar River. High water on the Chandalar River at Venetie caused flooding of the sewage pond. On the Koyukuk River, high water flooded 1600 ft of a 4000ft gravel runway at Allakaket, swept away one floatplane dock at Bettles, and 30 ft of bank and road of the road from Bettles to Evansville (a mile or so away), some Bank erosion also occurred at Huslia, though no structures were damaged. On the Dalton Highway, the Snowden River (flowing into the Koyukuk River) rose high enough at MilePost 213.5 to cover the road the 26th, and receded later on the 27th. Rain amounts for the event ranged from .75 inch to 1.8 inch for the 26th-27th, and .5 inch to 1.7 inch for the 30th-31st. This event continued into June on the Koyukuk River only.

Event by event

1 flash flood, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Koyukuk / Upr Kobuk Vly

When
May 26, 3:00 PM AST to May 31, 12:00 AM AST
Where
Koyukuk / Upr Kobuk Vly County, Bettles Field
Property damage
$250,000

Flood, Upper Yukon Valley

When
May 26, 3:00 PM AST to May 30, 2:00 PM AST
Where
Upper Yukon Valley forecast zone

What these are

Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
Flood
Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Alaska in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Alaska, May 1998

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5647369, 5647370.