Flood — Taiya Inlet, Alaska

2016-07-23 to 2016-07-24 · near Skagway, Taiya Inlet, Alaska

Event narrative

After a very dry period for the northern inner channels of Southeast Alaska moderate to heavy rains moved into the area on July 22nd. The high rain rates continued for the next 24 to 36 hours. Rainfall totals from this time frame ranged from around three quarters of an inch near sea level with about two inches in the headwaters at higher elevations. The very warm temperatures created very high freezing levels that increase runoff from snow or ice melt. The Taiya River started to rise in the evening of July 22nd and went above minor flood stage of sixteen point five feet by the late morning on the 23rd. The river continued to rise at a steep rate through the day and crested at seventeen point thirty five feet above moderate flood stage of seventeen feet in the late afternoon. The rain had stopped in the afternoon of the 23rd and the river started to recede. By mid morning on July 24th the river was below minor flood stage. The National Park Service reported that there was significant flooding along the Chilkoot trail with waist deep water at the lower portions of the trail. Several hikers were stuck in the flood waters but were able to make it to safety.

Wider weather episode

A deep trough of low pressure with a long fetch from the North Pacific to the Gulf of Alaska produced a very strong and wet weather system. The weather front slammed into Alaska's southeast panhandle from late July 22nd and persisted through the 24th. The area received moderate to heavy rainfall from the 22nd through late in the day on the 23rd. Along with the heavy rainfall there was very high freezing levels which ranged from eight to ten thousand feet. These high freezing level accompanied with the heavy rain increased the runoff from any snow left in the mountains and from area glaciers. Over this period there was about two to three inches of rain at sea level with about five to eight inches at higher elevations. All of the rain and snow/ice melt produce moderate flooding along the Taiya River and flooded the Chilkoot trail, part of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, near Dyea Alaska. The river crested around seventeen point thirty five feet which is above moderate flood stage of seventeen feet in the evening hours on July 23.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (59.4800, -135.3416)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 639737. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.