Due to unusually warm weather, people in Koyukuk, Alaska still have their boats in the river. The river freeze-up is getting later each year, making it difficult for people to predict when it will happen. As of November 4th, the river is still flowing and it is still raining. According to the Alaska River Forecast Center, this year has been one of the latest years on record for freeze up. National Weather Service data shows that the ice only began to freeze in the last few days, with only one other time in the past 21 years where first ice occurred as late as November.

Observation: People still have their boats in the river due to unusually warm weather. People drove to the next community downriver, Nulato, which is 18 miles south of Koyukuk on the Yukon River. They went down for a funeral. The last boat returned and was taken out of the river today. River freeze up is getting later and later each year, people don't know when to expect the river to freeze-up anymore. April Williams

LEO Update: (2013-11-04) The river is still flowing today and it is still raining, airplanes had to turn around because of bad weather. Hazel Lolnitz

LEO says: Dave Strubel at the Alaska River Forecast Center informed us that this year has been one of the latest years on record for freeze up. There are pretty good National Weather Service (NWS) data from Galena, with freeze up data for the Yukon River as far back as 1962. According to NWS, the ice only began to freeze there during the last few days. Only one other time however, during the 21 logged data years since 1962 has first ice occurred as late as November, and that was in 1964 (see "First Ice Month / Day). For more information on river ice conditions visit the NWS Alaska-Pacific RFC.