Rain

by Ted Land Tuesday, May 25, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The Toklat fire near Nenana has slowed its growth since it flared up Monday. A bit of rain helped contain the burn area at roughly 45,000 acres. The fire is slowly creeping, except on the south side, which is smoldering. Fire crews are protecting cabins and Native property at East Twin Lake while keeping a close eye on the weather. Red Flag warnings and fire weather watches are in effect across the Interior for low humidity and warm temperatures.

The state Department of Transportation announced Thursday that a portion of the Taylor Highway is again closed. Officials closed the highway at Milepost 67 due to heavy rain and water crossing the road. Convoys on the highway are also canceled until further notice. In addition, a stretch of the highway north of Chicken will be closed for construction. The closure dates are Aug. 21-23, as well as Aug. 27-28. Parts of the highway were washed out or damaged by heavy rains earlier this summer.

Changes in our weather pattern are on the doorstep.  Southcentral will see one more sunny day before clouds increase tonight.  Expect highs in Anchorage to reach the low 40s.  Highs in the Valley near 40.  Rain and snow and SW winds to 40 mph will plague the west coast.  A High Surf Advisory is in effect until 4 pm tomorrow for St. Lawrence Island.  Gusts may approach 50 mph along the Bering Strait coast.  Highs will warm into the mid...

A low pressure system is nearly stationary over the Bering.  Moisture wrapping around the low is keeping snow in the forecast for the Arctic Slope, the Interior, and the West, with rain and snow and milder temperatures for Southwest Alaska.  The heaviest precipitation will be found in the Panhandle along an upper jet that will continue to draw rich sub-tropical moisture into the area.  Rain will be heavy at times in Yakutat and snow and rain will...

Wicked weather this week in Seward has neighbors there cleaning up windstorm damage, while at the same time, keeping an eye on the Kenai River. The Kenai Peninsula Borough Emergency Management officials says wind gusts between 80-100 miles per hour blew over 40-50 trees in Seward on Monday night into Tuesday. Emergency officials say five houses and four vehicles were damaged in the storm.  Trees blocked several roads, but crews were able to clear them. One man was hurt when a tree fell on a pickup he was trying to move, but he's doing fine now. On top of the wind damage in Seward, all eyes in the Kenai Peninsula will be on the Kenai River, with all the rain they've been having.

by Channel 2 News staff Friday, July 2, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Lightning strikes continue to ignite wildfires in the northern and western Interior, but rain has tamed blazes to the south and east. Most of the more than 500 firefighters working on wildfires in Alaska are battling fires northwest of Fairbanks -- the Pat Creek fire near Stevens Village, and the Louie Creek fire near Huslia. Neither fire is posing a threat to either village. Fire officials, meanwhile, urge caution with fireworks, campfires and debris burning during the 4th of July weekend.

Light to moderate freezing rain fell in and along the Chugach mountains yesterday evening and overnight.  While most of the urban corridor was untouched by the rain, some areas right along the mountains have very slick, water-on-ice roadways this morning.  This includes---Palmer, the Butte, Chugiak, Eagle River, the Anchorage Hillside. Turnagain Arm, and Girdwood. Conditions are improving as crews get surfaces sanded and traffic creates some texture on the roads.  Reports indicate that side streets are still very slick but that the Glenn Highway and other main roads are improving.

As the New Year’s ball drops, temperatures will also be dropping and that could mean bad news for drivers heading home from New Year’s celebrations. If you stepped outside Friday morning, you felt rain, not snow coming down and that is what has a lot of people concerned. All around Anchorage, the rain left drivers carefully navigating the slick roads. Barb Robek had the misfortune to be out walking on the ice. “You don't think it's that slick. It doesn't look that slick until you start to walk and then it's a little icy underneath,” said Robek.

The Alaska Fire service says the Willow Creek wildfire is currently burning around 13,000 acres and is still producing enough smoke to leave the area beneath a layer of haze, but rain has slowed its progress. Aerial reports on Saturday indicated there was minimal activity along the fire's perimeter. Fire managers said they are still working to reduce smoke impact on the Fairbanks area. The fire was triggered by lightning June 10 but surged last week after dry, hot weather.

Much of Southcentral Alaska has been placed under a weekend flood watch Friday, as forecasters predict a tropical weather front with warm winds moving into the area and changing snow into rain -- a combination expected to drastically increase avalanche danger. A flurry of National Weather Service bulletins issued Friday call for a flood watch in the region, including Anchorage, the Mat-Su Valley, the western Kenai Peninsula and Prince William Sound. The watch is expected to remain in effect until Monday morning.

The latest storm may have passed but, we may not be in the clear. While most of Anchorage escaped major damage this weekend other places in the South Central did not. Rain over the weekend in places like Valdez significantly increased the power at Bridal Veil Waterfall. The National Weather Service says Valdez received 5.54 inches of rain this weekend with 4 inches coming on Sunday alone. That put the area 2 inches over the monthly average. Just about 50 miles away in Cordova, the Eyak River is just above 5 feet.

Going into this storm much of the concern was on the wind, but now it's moved to the rain and rising waters around Anchorage.      Westchester Lagoon had waters rise so high that the Public Works Department had to take action and open a water by pass syetem, also known as a flood gate. "We started seeing blockage around Arctic and at that time we came here and decided to open this and give a little relief,” said Public Works Department General Foreman Paul VanLandingham.

The National Weather Service has issued flood warnings in several locations throughout Southcentral Alaska. A flood warning was issued for Chester Creek in Anchorage until 5 p.m. Sunday. Moderate rainfall across Anchorage during the morning hours is expected to generate considerable runoff into the creek. Light to moderate rains are expected for the remainder of the morning. The National Weather Service forecasted water levels to reach about 5 feet on the creek monitoring gauge by early Sunday afternoon.

A large low and rigorous upper trough have brought clouds and rain to all of Alaska.  Situated near the west coast, this 997 mb low is weakening and moving to the northeast as the trough lifts over the state.  Until it clear the area late tonight, showers remain likely, with some heavy showers possible. Jet moisture surging north out of the Gulf of Alaska will bring steady rain to the PWS and the northern Panhandle.  Periods of rain with a few embedded heavy showers will rotate around the low through SW, Southcentral, and Interior Alaska.  Showers wrapping around the north side of the low into the west and northwest coast will continue until late evening.

If mother nature intended to keep people indoors for the day, she failed big time in Eagle River, where thousands braved the rain for the final day of the 27th annual Bear Paw Festival. "We're Alaskans, We know how to do it in the rain.  We love it," said festival organizer Merry Braham.   "Summer comes and you've got to get outside and make the most of it. " The younger crowd made the most of the ice cream eating contest Sunday.  "I didn't really get into a place, but I'm sure if I practiced more, I would have," said Rylee Price.

Rain continues to pound PWS thanks to a strong low located near Nunivak Island and a strong jet pushing rich moisture onshore into PWS.  This flow will taper off tonight, but not until dropping a couple of inches of rain. Dry downsloping flow into Anchorage and the rest of the Inlet region is subsiding and light rain is trying to fill in over the area.  Expect sprinkles or light showers through the afternoon and tonight before ending tomorrow.  We may very well get in on some sunshine in Southcentral Friday evening into Saturday morning before yet another low and jet moisture roll back into the area.  Rain is likely for much of southern Alaska through the weekend.

Yesterday, I wrote about dry air that would push into Anchorage and the Valley last night and this morning.  If you'll remember, I also wrote, "this will bring us brief clearing.  The sunshine will be short-lived. " Sure enough, skies cleared last night and remained clear only until 8 am this morning.  Dark clouds then rolled in, along with some breezes.  Clouds are here to stay for the rest of today and tomorrow, before partially breaking on Friday. The low bringing the cloud increase is located over the AK Peninsula.  Rain will fall today throughout SW and Southcentral.  The exception will be within the downslope region west of the Chugach mountains.  From the Mat Su to Anchorage to Kenai/Soldotna, rain will be suppressed by drying air descending off the mountains.  Cloud cover, however, is still likely.

This has been a gloomy week for most the Alaska.  Fortunately, warmer temperatures and sunshine is re-emerging for parts of the state.  Places like Fairbanks, McGrath, Bethel and Denali Park will see a fair dose of sun and temps in the 60s to near 70. Not everyone is done with the wet weather, however. From the northern Panhandle into PWS. rain is likely with 24 hour totals surpassing one inch.  Breezy to windy conditions, particularly through channeled terrain, will accompany the rain.  Scattered showers will persist another day Bristol Bay and the Alaska Peninsula, also.