SUMMARY:
The outlook for Alaska spring ice breakup and snowmelt flood potential is currently rated as normal for the majority of the state, that normal rating includes the Yukon, Kuskokwim and Koyukuik Rivers.
Late February and early March measurements indicate that ice thickness is near-to-below normal
across the State.
TheLower Yukon Basin, which includes the villages of Tanana, Ruby, Galena, and Anvik, have stations reporting between 150 and 200% of normal snowpack at the lower elevations and closer to normal at the higher elevations. The Kuskokwim Basin has a normal to above normal snowpack. Telaquana Lake in the farsoutheast Kuskokwim headwaters is below normal due to a mid February warm up; McGrath avoided the warm up and is reporting a near normal snowpack. Lower in the basin, between Aniak and Bethel, observers are reporting above normal snowpack.
There's a 60 to 70 percent chance of above normal temperatures during April and May which could positively affect the Yukon and Kuskokwim in terms of ice jams, resulting in ice degredation, decreasing the chances for a dynamic break up.
Link to full report:
https://www.weather.gov/media/aprfc/BreakupProducts/ESF_ACR_20240315.p
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