Flood — Taiya Inlet, Alaska

2022-08-17 · near Skagway, Taiya Inlet, Alaska

Event narrative

The atmospheric river produced 1 to 2 inches fell over 24hrs with highest rainfall amounts at higher elevations. In addition to the rainfall there was significant snow and ice melt from very warm temps in the headwaters of the Taiya River basin and the main tributary of the Norse River basin. Rain moved into the area the night of 16th and increased through the early morning hours of the 17th and persisted into the afternoon before the rainfall moved east of the area by the late afternoon on the 17th.

The Taiya River started to rise from the moderate to heavy rain in the evening of August 16th and went over minor flood stage of 16.5 feet mid morning of August 17th and crested at 17.58 feet around 330pm which is above moderate flood stage of 17.0 feet. The river did not drop below minor flood stage until the early morning hours of August 18th. The Klondike NHP closed the Chilkoot trail to all use on August 17th. The flooding had submerged sections of the Chilkoot Trail with hazardous, swift-flowing, waist-deep water.

Wider weather episode

An atmospheric river front brought periods of heavy rain to the northern panhandle starting Tuesday evening August 16th, particularly at elevation. There was also significant warm temperature over the area that increased the amount of ice melt from glaciers in the Taiya River basin. A frontal wave along enhanced rainfall rates again Wednesday morning August 17th. Rainfall amounts in the headwaters of the Taiya River ranged from 1.50 to 2 inches for the event. The Taiya River went over moderate flood stage and flooded the lower portions of the Chilkoot trail with cold and swift water up to knee deep in places.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (59.4813, -135.3427)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1051979. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.