Weather Alert in Alaska
Flood Advisory issued August 30 at 12:33AM AKDT until August 31 at 2:00AM AKDT by NWS Anchorage AK
AREAS AFFECTED: Lower Matanuska Valley; Sutton / Upper Matanuska Valley
DESCRIPTION: * WHAT...Flooding caused by previous excessive rainfall is expected. * WHERE...Matanuska River. * WHEN...Until 200 AM AKDT Sunday. * IMPACTS...River levels have exceeded those observed in early July and early August, and increased bank erosion is expected along the lower Matanuska River. Minor flooding is expected in low-lying and poor drainage areas along and near the Matanuska River. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - At 1221 AM AKDT, river gauge reports indicate rises in water levels from previous days heavy rain across the advisory area. This will cause minor flooding from overflow of poor drainage areas, especially along and near the Matanuska River. - Impacts: At 15000.0 cfs: Action Flow - This discharge (flow) level represents the higher end of the typical summertime range, and will likely be reached at least once nearly every year. Localized minor out-of-bank flooding may start to occur along parts of the Glenn highway, especially east of Sutton from milepost 64 to 66. At 30000.0 cfs: Minor Flood Flow - This discharge (flow) level has a roughly 20 percent chance of being reached in any given year. Additional vulnerable locations near the active river channel may experience some flooding at this level west of the Old Glenn Highway in the Butte and near Sutton from Milepost 64 to 66. Residents are advised that for the past several years at both of these locations, the main channel of the river has been shifting closer to the bank. At 35000.0 cfs: Moderate Flood Flow - This discharge (flow) level has a roughly 10 percent chance of being reached in any given year. Flooding near vulnerable locations along the active river channel may become more significant and widespread. This level was reached during the flooding in 2012. - For Matanuska River at Palmer: At 11:30pm the stage was 39300.0 cfs. Forecast: The river looks to have crested and is expected to begin falling through the day Saturday. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood - If you live near or along the Matanuska River near Palmer or Butte stay alert and be prepared to take action.
INSTRUCTION: Stay tuned to further developments by listening to your local radio, television, or NOAA Weather Radio for further information.
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Weather Topic: What is Rain?
Home - Education - Precipitation - Rain
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Precipitation in the form of water droplets is called rain.
Rain generally has a tendency to fall with less intensity over a greater period
of time, and when rainfall is more severe it is usually less sustained.
Rain is the most common form of precipitation and happens with greater frequency
depending on the season and regional influences. Cities have been shown to have
an observable effect on rainfall, due to an effect called the urban heat island.
Compared to upwind, monthly rainfall between twenty and forty miles downwind of
cities is 30% greater.
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Weather Topic: What is Sleet?
Home - Education - Precipitation - Sleet
Next Topic: Snow
Sleet is a form of precipitation in which small ice pellets are the primary
components. These ice pellets are smaller and more translucent than hailstones,
and harder than graupel. Sleet is caused by specific atmospheric conditions and
therefore typically doesn't last for extended periods of time.
The condition which leads to sleet formation requires a warmer body of air to be
wedged in between two sub-freezing bodies of air. When snow falls through a warmer
layer of air it melts, and as it falls through the next sub-freezing body of air
it freezes again, forming ice pellets known as sleet. In some cases, water
droplets don't have time to freeze before reaching the surface and the result is
freezing rain.
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