The Kenai River has been running high ever since two glacier dammed lakes emptied into the river over the last few days. In the Kenai Keys subdivision near Sterling, the river is lapping at the doorsteps of the hundred or so homes that line the river. Longtime resident Frank Turpin said although he’s seen worse flooding, this one is significant. The road leading into the gated subdivision is flooded in numerous places although some vehicles can still make it through. Neighbors who live on higher ground have offered their yards for people wishing to store cars or other items until the waters recede.
In less than a day, the riverbank was eroded back more than 60 feet, threatening some cabins near the river.
Usually, the Snow Glacier and Skilak lakes release every two or three years. Both at the same time is unprecedented.
Intermittent power outages continued across Anchorage Friday as high winds that started the day before toppled trees across the city.
The storm brought winds up to 40 mph to communities from Wainwright to Kaktovik, weather officials said. High waves damaged a road in Utqiagvik, affecting around five houses, residents reported.
Water floods the Kotzebue lagoon. Grasses can be seen in July and a month later in August the water has risen 4-6 ft.
Officials evacuate nearby homes, caution residents in high-slope areas.
A home collapses into the Mendenhall River on Saturday due to a record amount of flooding from Suicide Basin since an annual cycle of water release began there in 2011. Officials said nobody was injured when the house collapsed, but other structures along the riverbank are at risk. (Screenshot from video by Sam Nolan).
In the Glenallen area, Yukon and Kuskokwim River communities, and Northwest Arctic floodwaters caused by snow melt and rapid warming have caused many communities to be flooded.
Breakup of the Yukon River over the weekend has led to serious flooding in Eagle, Circle and Fort Yukon.
The break up on the Yukon River has been delayed this year because of ice conditions. Randy Audet has a home in the Rock Creek subdivision and went to check on it Monday, along with his mom's car. He's working out of town right now at a camp and also has another place to stay outside of Dawson City. Audet's whole property was underwater. "I've never actually seen this happen in 12 years since I've been living here."
Snow dumped on Southcentral Alaska this weekend, with more than 8 inches falling in the Anchorage area and about 5 inches in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. A Climatologist says this weekend has led to a record amount of snowpack this late in the season.
Kotzebue experienced one blizzard after another in March, and now with so much piled up and drifted snow, the community is struggling to dig out.
"I was born and raised in Kotzebue and have been through many storms. This was one of the worst."
It has been some years since we have had a long storm. March 6 marks the 3rd day and there have been no jets or small planes flying.
This is the second reported roof collapse in Anchorage in two days.
The roof collapsed at a South Anchorage gym during a fitness competition. The Anchorage Office of Emergency Management cautioned residents that the city has had near-record snow conditions this winter, and residents should consider the snow load on their roofs. Officials also warned that property owners should exercise extreme caution if removing snow from their roofs themselves.
The library in Palmer partially collapsed on Wednesday evening near closing time.
Melting permafrost and severe erosion have plagued the community for decades. The most recent storm brought waves so fierce, the water claimed roughly half of the 80 or so remaining feet of land that stands between the back end of the school and the edge of the Ningliq river.
Forecasters say they are expecting significant coastal erosion from Utqiagvik to Unalakleet from the second severe-weather event to hit the region in three weeks.
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