The Kuskokwim River in Chuathbaluk, Alaska experienced an early breakup on April 17, 2016, which is the earliest on record. The river typically breaks up in late April or May, but due to an extremely warm winter, the river had many open holes that never froze completely.

Observation: This is the first time that the Kuskokwim River ice has broke before April 20th. The ice usually goes out in late April, or anytime in May. This year it went out on April 17th. It has to be the earliest on record for the Kuskokwim River. We have had an extremely warm winter, and the river had many open holes that never froze completely.