Flooding in Alaska, May 1 to 3, 2002

Event continued from April 2002. Heavy rains during the 25th to 27th of April on an existing snowpack in the area created high runoff beginning on the 30th. The combined rainfall and melted snow amount at Fairbanks from the 25th through the 29th totaled 2.26 inches. The total April liquid precipitation was 2.99 inches, nearly 15 times above the average amount for April. This caused:1) the Chatanika River where it flows along the Steese Highway north of Fairbanks to wash out the road at mile 47, closing the highway for several days. Other locations along the Steese along the Steese Highway also washed out, including Mile 57. The Steese Highway opened by the Alaska Department of Transportation on the afternoon of the 3rd, though the road condition was stated as "poor" . 2) Chena Hot Springs Road at 37 1/2 mile was closed from 10am the 1st to about 3pm May 2nd as water 1 1/2 to 2 feet was crossing the road the morning of the 1st..3) Although not closed, the Elliott Highway from Livengood to Manley (Zone 221) was in poor condition - "muddy, rutted, and one lane in several locations from Milepost 73 to 152" as the notice from the Alaska Department of Transportation said. This was due to water running over the road in several locations.