Coastal Flood — Srn Seward Peninsula Coast, Alaska

2019-08-02 to 2019-08-03 · Srn Seward Peninsula Coast, Alaska

Event narrative

Storm surge ranged from 6 to 8 feet above the normal high tide line along the southern Seward Peninsula coast. The high surge combined with southwest winds 30 to 45 mph resulted in high surf and significant wave runup. In Nome, water inundated low lying areas near the coast and high surf caused minor erosion along the Nome-Council road. In Golovin, water completely flooded the old runway, the barge landing and there was significant erosion. The community constructed a temporary berm which helped to hold water back from entering town. Many smaller creeks were overbank due to heavy rain. Some fishnets and a boat were lost.

Wider weather episode

A strong low pressure center tracked north through the Bering Sea across St. Lawrence Island, the Bering Strait, and into the Chukchi Sea between Aug 2-4th, 2019. This was the strongest in a series of weather systems associated with an atmospheric river which developed over the Bering Sea from late July and into August. This early fall storm resulted in coastal flooding, high surf, erosion, and riverine flooding due to heavy rainfall. Impacts included minor flooding of homes, seasonal subsistence camps damaged, road washouts, and coastal lagoons flooded.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 854511. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.