AREAS AFFECTED : CENTRAL BEAUFORT SEA COAST; EASTERN BEAUFORT SEA COAST; WESTERN ARCTIC PLAINS; HOWARD PASS AND THE DELONG MOUNTAINS; CENTRAL ARCTIC PLAINS; CENTRAL BROOKS RANGE; ROMANZOF MOUNTAINS
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...Locations Impacted...
Central Brooks Range-Central Arctic Plains-Romanzof
Mountains-Central Beaufort Sea Coast-Howard Pass and the Delong
Mountains-Western Arctic Plains-Eastern Beaufort Sea Coast
Summer has arrived in the Brooks Range and on the North Slope.
Warmer temperatures including above freezing temperatures overnight
are expected through early next week. Additionally, rainfall amounts
ranging from 0.5 to 1.0 inches are now expected between Sunday night
and Wednesday morning.
Most of the remaining snowpack is in the foothills and mountains
where temperatures and rainfall will be highest. The combination of
snow melt and rainfall is increasingly likely to result in river
rises.
Most of the ice on the larger rivers has already moved out which
leaves more room to accommodate the snowmelt and rainfall. This
contrasts with last year's late breakup when the snowmelt all
entered the river systems while ice was mainly still in place.
Rising water levels in rivers can be expected as this melt is
initiated and moves through the river systems this weekend and early
next week.